Uplink downlink session duplication

ABSTRACT

A wireless device receives non-access stratum information indicating that a second session is for: applying session duplication of downlink packets of the first session; and not applying session duplication of uplink packets of the first session. Based on the non-access stratum information: not applying the session duplication of uplink packets of the first session; and receiving duplication of the downlink packets of the first session with the session duplication.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.16/988,748, filed Aug. 10, 2020, which claims the benefit of U.S.Provisional Application No. 62/884,888, filed Aug. 9, 2019, all of whichare hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Examples of several of the various embodiments of the present disclosureare described herein with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B illustrate example mobile communication networks inwhich embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented.

FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B respectively illustrate a New Radio (NR) user planeand control plane protocol stack.

FIG. 3 illustrates an example of services provided between protocollayers of the NR user plane protocol stack of FIG. 2A.

FIG. 4A illustrates an example downlink data flow through the NR userplane protocol stack of FIG. 2A.

FIG. 4B illustrates an example format of a MAC subheader in a MAC PDU.

FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B respectively illustrate a mapping between logicalchannels, transport channels, and physical channels for the downlink anduplink.

FIG. 6 is an example diagram showing RRC state transitions of a UE.

FIG. 7 illustrates an example configuration of an NR frame into whichOFDM symbols are grouped.

FIG. 8 illustrates an example configuration of a slot in the time andfrequency domain for an NR carrier.

FIG. 9 illustrates an example of bandwidth adaptation using threeconfigured BWPs for an NR carrier.

FIG. 10A illustrates three carrier aggregation configurations with twocomponent carriers.

FIG. 10B illustrates an example of how aggregated cells may beconfigured into one or more PUCCH groups.

FIG. 11A illustrates an example of an SS/PBCH block structure andlocation.

FIG. 11B illustrates an example of CSI-RSs that are mapped in the timeand frequency domains.

FIG. 12A and FIG. 12B respectively illustrate examples of three downlinkand uplink beam management procedures.

FIG. 13A, FIG. 13B, and FIG. 13C respectively illustrate a four-stepcontention-based random access procedure, a two-step contention-freerandom access procedure, and another two-step random access procedure.

FIG. 14A illustrates an example of CORESET configurations for abandwidth part.

FIG. 14B illustrates an example of a CCE-to-REG mapping for DCItransmission on a CORESET and PDCCH processing.

FIG. 15 illustrates an example of a wireless device in communicationwith a base station.

FIG. 16A, FIG. 16B, FIG. 16C, and FIG. 16D illustrate example structuresfor uplink and downlink transmission.

FIG. 17 is a diagram of an aspect of an example embodiment of thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 18 is a diagram of an aspect of an example embodiment of thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 19 is a diagram of an aspect of an example embodiment of thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 20 is a diagram of an aspect of an example embodiment of thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 21 is a diagram of an aspect of an example embodiment of thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 22 is a diagram of an aspect of an example embodiment of thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 23 is a diagram of an aspect of an example embodiment of thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 24 is a diagram of an aspect of an example embodiment of thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 25 is a diagram of an aspect of an example embodiment of thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 26 is a flow diagram of an aspect of an example embodiment of thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 27 is a flow diagram of an aspect of an example embodiment of thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 28 is a flow diagram of an aspect of an example embodiment of thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 29 is a flow diagram of an aspect of an example embodiment of thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 30 is a flow diagram of an aspect of an example embodiment of thepresent disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the present disclosure, various embodiments are presented as examplesof how the disclosed techniques may be implemented and/or how thedisclosed techniques may be practiced in environments and scenarios. Itwill be apparent to persons skilled in the relevant art that variouschanges in form and detail can be made therein without departing fromthe scope. In fact, after reading the description, it will be apparentto one skilled in the relevant art how to implement alternativeembodiments. The present embodiments should not be limited by any of thedescribed exemplary embodiments. The embodiments of the presentdisclosure will be described with reference to the accompanyingdrawings. Limitations, features, and/or elements from the disclosedexample embodiments may be combined to create further embodiments withinthe scope of the disclosure. Any figures which highlight thefunctionality and advantages, are presented for example purposes only.The disclosed architecture is sufficiently flexible and configurable,such that it may be utilized in ways other than that shown. For example,the actions listed in any flowchart may be re-ordered or only optionallyused in some embodiments.

Embodiments may be configured to operate as needed. The disclosedmechanism may be performed when certain criteria are met, for example,in a wireless device, a base station, a radio environment, a network, acombination of the above, and/or the like. Example criteria may bebased, at least in part, on for example, wireless device or network nodeconfigurations, traffic load, initial system set up, packet sizes,traffic characteristics, a combination of the above, and/or the like.When the one or more criteria are met, various example embodiments maybe applied. Therefore, it may be possible to implement exampleembodiments that selectively implement disclosed protocols.

A base station may communicate with a mix of wireless devices. Wirelessdevices and/or base stations may support multiple technologies, and/ormultiple releases of the same technology. Wireless devices may have somespecific capability(ies) depending on wireless device category and/orcapability(ies). When this disclosure refers to a base stationcommunicating with a plurality of wireless devices, this disclosure mayrefer to a subset of the total wireless devices in a coverage area. Thisdisclosure may refer to, for example, a plurality of wireless devices ofa given LTE or 5G release with a given capability and in a given sectorof the base station. The plurality of wireless devices in thisdisclosure may refer to a selected plurality of wireless devices, and/ora subset of total wireless devices in a coverage area which performaccording to disclosed methods, and/or the like. There may be aplurality of base stations or a plurality of wireless devices in acoverage area that may not comply with the disclosed methods, forexample, those wireless devices or base stations may perform based onolder releases of LTE or 5G technology.

In this disclosure, “a” and “an” and similar phrases are to beinterpreted as “at least one” and “one or more.” Similarly, any termthat ends with the suffix “(s)” is to be interpreted as “at least one”and “one or more.” In this disclosure, the term “may” is to beinterpreted as “may, for example.” In other words, the term “may” isindicative that the phrase following the term “may” is an example of oneof a multitude of suitable possibilities that may, or may not, beemployed by one or more of the various embodiments. The terms“comprises” and “consists of”, as used herein, enumerate one or morecomponents of the element being described. The term “comprises” isinterchangeable with “includes” and does not exclude unenumeratedcomponents from being included in the element being described. Bycontrast, “consists of” provides a complete enumeration of the one ormore components of the element being described. The term “based on”, asused herein, should be interpreted as “based at least in part on” ratherthan, for example, “based solely on”. The term “and/or” as used hereinrepresents any possible combination of enumerated elements. For example,“A, B, and/or C” may represent A; B; C; A and B; A and C; B and C; or A,B, and C.

If A and B are sets and every element of A is an element of B, A iscalled a subset of B. In this specification, only non-empty sets andsubsets are considered. For example, possible subsets of B={cell1,cell2} are: {cell1}, {cell2}, and {cell1, cell2}. The phrase “based on”(or equally “based at least on”) is indicative that the phrase followingthe term “based on” is an example of one of a multitude of suitablepossibilities that may, or may not, be employed to one or more of thevarious embodiments. The phrase “in response to” (or equally “inresponse at least to”) is indicative that the phrase following thephrase “in response to” is an example of one of a multitude of suitablepossibilities that may, or may not, be employed to one or more of thevarious embodiments. The phrase “depending on” (or equally “depending atleast to”) is indicative that the phrase following the phrase “dependingon” is an example of one of a multitude of suitable possibilities thatmay, or may not, be employed to one or more of the various embodiments.The phrase “employing/using” (or equally “employing/using at least”) isindicative that the phrase following the phrase “employing/using” is anexample of one of a multitude of suitable possibilities that may, or maynot, be employed to one or more of the various embodiments.

The term configured may relate to the capacity of a device whether thedevice is in an operational or non-operational state. Configured mayrefer to specific settings in a device that effect the operationalcharacteristics of the device whether the device is in an operational ornon-operational state. In other words, the hardware, software, firmware,registers, memory values, and/or the like may be “configured” within adevice, whether the device is in an operational or nonoperational state,to provide the device with specific characteristics. Terms such as “acontrol message to cause in a device” may mean that a control messagehas parameters that may be used to configure specific characteristics ormay be used to implement certain actions in the device, whether thedevice is in an operational or non-operational state.

In this disclosure, parameters (or equally called, fields, orInformation elements: IEs) may comprise one or more information objects,and an information object may comprise one or more other objects. Forexample, if parameter (IE) N comprises parameter (IE) M, and parameter(IE) M comprises parameter (IE) K, and parameter (IE) K comprisesparameter (information element) J. Then, for example, N comprises K, andN comprises J. In an example embodiment, when one or more messagescomprise a plurality of parameters, it implies that a parameter in theplurality of parameters is in at least one of the one or more messages,but does not have to be in each of the one or more messages.

Many features presented are described as being optional through the useof “may” or the use of parentheses. For the sake of brevity andlegibility, the present disclosure does not explicitly recite each andevery permutation that may be obtained by choosing from the set ofoptional features. The present disclosure is to be interpreted asexplicitly disclosing all such permutations. For example, a systemdescribed as having three optional features may be embodied in sevenways, namely with just one of the three possible features, with any twoof the three possible features or with three of the three possiblefeatures.

Many of the elements described in the disclosed embodiments may beimplemented as modules. A module is defined here as an element thatperforms a defined function and has a defined interface to otherelements. The modules described in this disclosure may be implemented inhardware, software in combination with hardware, firmware, wetware (e.g.hardware with a biological element) or a combination thereof, which maybe behaviorally equivalent. For example, modules may be implemented as asoftware routine written in a computer language configured to beexecuted by a hardware machine (such as C, C++, Fortran, Java, Basic,Matlab or the like) or a modeling/simulation program such as Simulink,Stateflow, GNU Octave, or Lab VIEWMathScript. It may be possible toimplement modules using physical hardware that incorporates discrete orprogrammable analog, digital and/or quantum hardware. Examples ofprogrammable hardware comprise: computers, microcontrollers,microprocessors, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs); fieldprogrammable gate arrays (FPGAs); and complex programmable logic devices(CPLDs). Computers, microcontrollers and microprocessors are programmedusing languages such as assembly, C, C++ or the like. FPGAs, ASICs andCPLDs are often programmed using hardware description languages (HDL)such as VHSIC hardware description language (VHDL) or Verilog thatconfigure connections between internal hardware modules with lesserfunctionality on a programmable device. The mentioned technologies areoften used in combination to achieve the result of a functional module.

FIG. 1A illustrates an example of a mobile communication network 100 inwhich embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented. Themobile communication network 100 may be, for example, a public landmobile network (PLMN) run by a network operator. As illustrated in FIG.1A, the mobile communication network 100 includes a core network (CN)102, a radio access network (RAN) 104, and a wireless device 106.

The CN 102 may provide the wireless device 106 with an interface to oneor more data networks (DNs), such as public DNs (e.g., the Internet),private DNs, and/or intra-operator DNs. As part of the interfacefunctionality, the CN 102 may set up end-to-end connections between thewireless device 106 and the one or more DNs, authenticate the wirelessdevice 106, and provide charging functionality.

The RAN 104 may connect the CN 102 to the wireless device 106 throughradio communications over an air interface. As part of the radiocommunications, the RAN 104 may provide scheduling, radio resourcemanagement, and retransmission protocols. The communication directionfrom the RAN 104 to the wireless device 106 over the air interface isknown as the downlink and the communication direction from the wirelessdevice 106 to the RAN 104 over the air interface is known as the uplink.Downlink transmissions may be separated from uplink transmissions usingfrequency division duplexing (FDD), time-division duplexing (TDD),and/or some combination of the two duplexing techniques.

The term wireless device may be used throughout this disclosure to referto and encompass any mobile device or fixed (non-mobile) device forwhich wireless communication is needed or usable. For example, awireless device may be a telephone, smart phone, tablet, computer,laptop, sensor, meter, wearable device, Internet of Things (IoT) device,vehicle road side unit (RSU), relay node, automobile, and/or anycombination thereof. The term wireless device encompasses otherterminology, including user equipment (UE), user terminal (UT), accessterminal (AT), mobile station, handset, wireless transmit and receiveunit (WTRU), and/or wireless communication device.

The RAN 104 may include one or more base stations (not shown). The termbase station may be used throughout this disclosure to refer to andencompass a Node B (associated with UMTS and/or 3G standards), anEvolved Node B (eNB, associated with E-UTRA and/or 4G standards), aremote radio head (RRH), a baseband processing unit coupled to one ormore RRHs, a repeater node or relay node used to extend the coveragearea of a donor node, a Next Generation Evolved Node B (ng-eNB), aGeneration Node B (gNB, associated with NR and/or 5G standards), anaccess point (AP, associated with, for example, WiFi or any othersuitable wireless communication standard), and/or any combinationthereof. A base station may comprise at least one gNB Central Unit(gNB-CU) and at least one a gNB Distributed Unit (gNB-DU).

A base station included in the RAN 104 may include one or more sets ofantennas for communicating with the wireless device 106 over the airinterface. For example, one or more of the base stations may includethree sets of antennas to respectively control three cells (or sectors).The size of a cell may be determined by a range at which a receiver(e.g., a base station receiver) can successfully receive thetransmissions from a transmitter (e.g., a wireless device transmitter)operating in the cell. Together, the cells of the base stations mayprovide radio coverage to the wireless device 106 over a wide geographicarea to support wireless device mobility.

In addition to three-sector sites, other implementations of basestations are possible. For example, one or more of the base stations inthe RAN 104 may be implemented as a sectored site with more or less thanthree sectors. One or more of the base stations in the RAN 104 may beimplemented as an access point, as a baseband processing unit coupled toseveral remote radio heads (RRHs), and/or as a repeater or relay nodeused to extend the coverage area of a donor node. A baseband processingunit coupled to RRHs may be part of a centralized or cloud RANarchitecture, where the baseband processing unit may be eithercentralized in a pool of baseband processing units or virtualized. Arepeater node may amplify and rebroadcast a radio signal received from adonor node. A relay node may perform the same/similar functions as arepeater node but may decode the radio signal received from the donornode to remove noise before amplifying and rebroadcasting the radiosignal.

The RAN 104 may be deployed as a homogenous network of macrocell basestations that have similar antenna patterns and similar high-leveltransmit powers. The RAN 104 may be deployed as a heterogeneous network.In heterogeneous networks, small cell base stations may be used toprovide small coverage areas, for example, coverage areas that overlapwith the comparatively larger coverage areas provided by macrocell basestations. The small coverage areas may be provided in areas with highdata traffic (or so-called “hotspots”) or in areas with weak macrocellcoverage. Examples of small cell base stations include, in order ofdecreasing coverage area, microcell base stations, picocell basestations, and femtocell base stations or home base stations.

The Third-Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) was formed in 1998 toprovide global standardization of specifications for mobilecommunication networks similar to the mobile communication network 100in FIG. 1A. To date, 3GPP has produced specifications for threegenerations of mobile networks: a third generation (3G) network known asUniversal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), a fourth generation(4G) network known as Long-Term Evolution (LTE), and a fifth generation(5G) network known as 5G System (5GS). Embodiments of the presentdisclosure are described with reference to the RAN of a 3GPP 5G network,referred to as next-generation RAN (NG-RAN). Embodiments may beapplicable to RANs of other mobile communication networks, such as theRAN 104 in FIG. 1A, the RANs of earlier 3G and 4G networks, and those offuture networks yet to be specified (e.g., a 3GPP 6G network). NG-RANimplements 5G radio access technology known as New Radio (NR) and may beprovisioned to implement 4G radio access technology or other radioaccess technologies, including non-3GPP radio access technologies.

FIG. 1B illustrates another example mobile communication network 150 inwhich embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented. Mobilecommunication network 150 may be, for example, a PLMN run by a networkoperator. As illustrated in FIG. 1B, mobile communication network 150includes a 5G core network (5G-CN) 152, an NG-RAN 154, and UEs 156A and156B (collectively UEs 156). These components may be implemented andoperate in the same or similar manner as corresponding componentsdescribed with respect to FIG. 1A.

The 5G-CN 152 provides the UEs 156 with an interface to one or more DNs,such as public DNs (e.g., the Internet), private DNs, and/orintra-operator DNs. As part of the interface functionality, the 5G-CN152 may set up end-to-end connections between the UEs 156 and the one ormore DNs, authenticate the UEs 156, and provide charging functionality.Compared to the CN of a 3GPP 4G network, the basis of the 5G-CN 152 maybe a service-based architecture. This means that the architecture of thenodes making up the 5G-CN 152 may be defined as network functions thatoffer services via interfaces to other network functions. The networkfunctions of the 5G-CN 152 may be implemented in several ways, includingas network elements on dedicated or shared hardware, as softwareinstances running on dedicated or shared hardware, or as virtualizedfunctions instantiated on a platform (e.g., a cloud-based platform).

As illustrated in FIG. 1B, the 5G-CN 152 includes an Access and MobilityManagement Function (AMF) 158A and a User Plane Function (UPF) 158B,which are shown as one component AMF/UPF 158 in FIG. 1B for ease ofillustration. The UPF 158B may serve as a gateway between the NG-RAN 154and the one or more DNs. The UPF 158B may perform functions such aspacket routing and forwarding, packet inspection and user plane policyrule enforcement, traffic usage reporting, uplink classification tosupport routing of traffic flows to the one or more DNs, quality ofservice (QoS) handling for the user plane (e.g., packet filtering,gating, uplink/downlink rate enforcement, and uplink trafficverification), downlink packet buffering, and downlink data notificationtriggering. The UPF 158B may serve as an anchor point forintra-/inter-Radio Access Technology (RAT) mobility, an externalprotocol (or packet) data unit (PDU) session point of interconnect tothe one or more DNs, and/or a branching point to support a multi-homedPDU session. The UEs 156 may be configured to receive services through aPDU session, which is a logical connection between a UE and a DN.

The AMF 158A may perform functions such as Non-Access Stratum (NAS)signaling termination, NAS signaling security, Access Stratum (AS)security control, inter-CN node signaling for mobility between 3GPPaccess networks, idle mode UE reachability (e.g., control and executionof paging retransmission), registration area management, intra-systemand inter-system mobility support, access authentication, accessauthorization including checking of roaming rights, mobility managementcontrol (subscription and policies), network slicing support, and/orsession management function (SMF) selection. NAS may refer to thefunctionality operating between a CN and a UE, and AS may refer to thefunctionality operating between the UE and a RAN.

The 5G-CN 152 may include one or more additional network functions thatare not shown in FIG. 1B for the sake of clarity. For example, the 5G-CN152 may include one or more of a Session Management Function (SMF), anNR Repository Function (NRF), a Policy Control Function (PCF), a NetworkExposure Function (NEF), a Unified Data Management (UDM), an ApplicationFunction (AF), and/or an Authentication Server Function (AUSF).

The NG-RAN 154 may connect the 5G-CN 152 to the UEs 156 through radiocommunications over the air interface. The NG-RAN 154 may include one ormore gNBs, illustrated as gNB 160A and gNB 160B (collectively gNBs 160)and/or one or more ng-eNBs, illustrated as ng-eNB 162A and ng-eNB 162B(collectively ng-eNBs 162). The gNBs 160 and ng-eNBs 162 may be moregenerically referred to as base stations. The gNBs 160 and ng-eNBs 162may include one or more sets of antennas for communicating with the UEs156 over an air interface. For example, one or more of the gNBs 160and/or one or more of the ng-eNB s 162 may include three sets ofantennas to respectively control three cells (or sectors). Together, thecells of the gNBs 160 and the ng-eNBs 162 may provide radio coverage tothe UEs 156 over a wide geographic area to support UE mobility.

As shown in FIG. 1B, the gNBs 160 and/or the ng-eNBs 162 may beconnected to the 5G-CN 152 by means of an NG interface and to other basestations by an Xn interface. The NG and Xn interfaces may be establishedusing direct physical connections and/or indirect connections over anunderlying transport network, such as an internet protocol (IP)transport network. The gNBs 160 and/or the ng-eNBs 162 may be connectedto the UEs 156 by means of a Uu interface. For example, as illustratedin FIG. 1B, gNB 160A may be connected to the UE 156A by means of a Uuinterface. The NG, Xn, and Uu interfaces are associated with a protocolstack. The protocol stacks associated with the interfaces may be used bythe network elements in FIG. 1B to exchange data and signaling messagesand may include two planes: a user plane and a control plane. The userplane may handle data of interest to a user. The control plane mayhandle signaling messages of interest to the network elements.

The gNBs 160 and/or the ng-eNBs 162 may be connected to one or moreAMF/UPF functions of the 5G-CN 152, such as the AMF/UPF 158, by means ofone or more NG interfaces. For example, the gNB 160A may be connected tothe UPF 158B of the AMF/UPF 158 by means of an NG-User plane (NG-U)interface. The NG-U interface may provide delivery (e.g., non-guaranteeddelivery) of user plane PDUs between the gNB 160A and the UPF 158B. ThegNB 160A may be connected to the AMF 158A by means of an NG-Controlplane (NG-C) interface. The NG-C interface may provide, for example, NGinterface management, UE context management, UE mobility management,transport of NAS messages, paging, PDU session management, andconfiguration transfer and/or warning message transmission.

The gNBs 160 may provide NR user plane and control plane protocolterminations towards the UEs 156 over the Uu interface. For example, thegNB 160A may provide NR user plane and control plane protocolterminations toward the UE 156A over a Uu interface associated with afirst protocol stack. The ng-eNBs 162 may provide Evolved UMTSTerrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA) user plane and control plane protocolterminations towards the UEs 156 over a Uu interface, where E-UTRArefers to the 3GPP 4G radio-access technology. For example, the ng-eNB162B may provide E-UTRA user plane and control plane protocolterminations towards the UE 156B over a Uu interface associated with asecond protocol stack.

The 5G-CN 152 was described as being configured to handle NR and 4Gradio accesses. It will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in theart that it may be possible for NR to connect to a 4G core network in amode known as “non-standalone operation.” In non-standalone operation, a4G core network is used to provide (or at least support) control-planefunctionality (e.g., initial access, mobility, and paging). Althoughonly one AMF/UPF 158 is shown in FIG. 1B, one gNB or ng-eNB may beconnected to multiple AMF/UPF nodes to provide redundancy and/or to loadshare across the multiple AMF/UPF nodes.

As discussed, an interface (e.g., Uu, Xn, and NG interfaces) between thenetwork elements in FIG. 1B may be associated with a protocol stack thatthe network elements use to exchange data and signaling messages. Aprotocol stack may include two planes: a user plane and a control plane.The user plane may handle data of interest to a user, and the controlplane may handle signaling messages of interest to the network elements.

FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B respectively illustrate examples of NR user planeand NR control plane protocol stacks for the Uu interface that liesbetween a UE 210 and a gNB 220. The protocol stacks illustrated in FIG.2A and FIG. 2B may be the same or similar to those used for the Uuinterface between, for example, the UE 156A and the gNB 160A shown inFIG. 1B.

FIG. 2A illustrates a NR user plane protocol stack comprising fivelayers implemented in the UE 210 and the gNB 220. At the bottom of theprotocol stack, physical layers (PHYs) 211 and 221 may provide transportservices to the higher layers of the protocol stack and may correspondto layer 1 of the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model. The nextfour protocols above PHYs 211 and 221 comprise media access controllayers (MACs) 212 and 222, radio link control layers (RLCs) 213 and 223,packet data convergence protocol layers (PDCPs) 214 and 224, and servicedata application protocol layers (SDAPs) 215 and 225. Together, thesefour protocols may make up layer 2, or the data link layer, of the OSImodel.

FIG. 3 illustrates an example of services provided between protocollayers of the NR user plane protocol stack. Starting from the top ofFIG. 2A and FIG. 3 , the SDAPs 215 and 225 may perform QoS flowhandling. The UE 210 may receive services through a PDU session, whichmay be a logical connection between the UE 210 and a DN. The PDU sessionmay have one or more QoS flows. A UPF of a CN (e.g., the UPF 158B) maymap IP packets to the one or more QoS flows of the PDU session based onQoS requirements (e.g., in terms of delay, data rate, and/or errorrate). The SDAPs 215 and 225 may perform mapping/de-mapping between theone or more QoS flows and one or more data radio bearers. Themapping/de-mapping between the QoS flows and the data radio bearers maybe determined by the SDAP 225 at the gNB 220. The SDAP 215 at the UE 210may be informed of the mapping between the QoS flows and the data radiobearers through reflective mapping or control signaling received fromthe gNB 220. For reflective mapping, the SDAP 225 at the gNB 220 maymark the downlink packets with a QoS flow indicator (QFI), which may beobserved by the SDAP 215 at the UE 210 to determine themapping/de-mapping between the QoS flows and the data radio bearers.

The PDCPs 214 and 224 may perform header compression/decompression toreduce the amount of data that needs to be transmitted over the airinterface, ciphering/deciphering to prevent unauthorized decoding ofdata transmitted over the air interface, and integrity protection (toensure control messages originate from intended sources. The PDCPs 214and 224 may perform retransmissions of undelivered packets, in-sequencedelivery and reordering of packets, and removal of packets received induplicate due to, for example, an intra-gNB handover. The PDCPs 214 and224 may perform packet duplication to improve the likelihood of thepacket being received and, at the receiver, remove any duplicatepackets. Packet duplication may be useful for services that require highreliability.

Although not shown in FIG. 3 , PDCPs 214 and 224 may performmapping/de-mapping between a split radio bearer and RLC channels in adual connectivity scenario. Dual connectivity is a technique that allowsa UE to connect to two cells or, more generally, two cell groups: amaster cell group (MCG) and a secondary cell group (SCG). A split beareris when a single radio bearer, such as one of the radio bearers providedby the PDCPs 214 and 224 as a service to the SDAPs 215 and 225, ishandled by cell groups in dual connectivity. The PDCPs 214 and 224 maymap/de-map the split radio bearer between RLC channels belonging to cellgroups.

The RLCs 213 and 223 may perform segmentation, retransmission throughAutomatic Repeat Request (ARQ), and removal of duplicate data unitsreceived from MACs 212 and 222, respectively. The RLCs 213 and 223 maysupport three transmission modes: transparent mode (TM); unacknowledgedmode (UM); and acknowledged mode (AM). Based on the transmission mode anRLC is operating, the RLC may perform one or more of the notedfunctions. The RLC configuration may be per logical channel with nodependency on numerologies and/or Transmission Time Interval (TTI)durations. As shown in FIG. 3 , the RLCs 213 and 223 may provide RLCchannels as a service to PDCPs 214 and 224, respectively.

The MACs 212 and 222 may perform multiplexing/demultiplexing of logicalchannels and/or mapping between logical channels and transport channels.The multiplexing/demultiplexing may include multiplexing/demultiplexingof data units, belonging to the one or more logical channels, into/fromTransport Blocks (TBs) delivered to/from the PHYs 211 and 221. The MAC222 may be configured to perform scheduling, scheduling informationreporting, and priority handling between UEs by means of dynamicscheduling. Scheduling may be performed in the gNB 220 (at the MAC 222)for downlink and uplink. The MACs 212 and 222 may be configured toperform error correction through Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ)(e.g., one HARQ entity per carrier in case of Carrier Aggregation (CA)),priority handling between logical channels of the UE 210 by means oflogical channel prioritization, and/or padding. The MACs 212 and 222 maysupport one or more numerologies and/or transmission timings. In anexample, mapping restrictions in a logical channel prioritization maycontrol which numerology and/or transmission timing a logical channelmay use. As shown in FIG. 3 , the MACs 212 and 222 may provide logicalchannels as a service to the RLCs 213 and 223.

The PHYs 211 and 221 may perform mapping of transport channels tophysical channels and digital and analog signal processing functions forsending and receiving information over the air interface. These digitaland analog signal processing functions may include, for example,coding/decoding and modulation/demodulation. The PHYs 211 and 221 mayperform multi-antenna mapping. As shown in FIG. 3 , the PHYs 211 and 221may provide one or more transport channels as a service to the MACs 212and 222.

FIG. 4A illustrates an example downlink data flow through the NR userplane protocol stack. FIG. 4A illustrates a downlink data flow of threeIP packets (n, n+1, and m) through the NR user plane protocol stack togenerate two TBs at the gNB 220. An uplink data flow through the NR userplane protocol stack may be similar to the downlink data flow depictedin FIG. 4A.

The downlink data flow of FIG. 4A begins when SDAP 225 receives thethree IP packets from one or more QoS flows and maps the three packetsto radio bearers. In FIG. 4A, the SDAP 225 maps IP packets n and n+1 toa first radio bearer 402 and maps IP packet m to a second radio bearer404. An SDAP header (labeled with an “H” in FIG. 4A) is added to an IPpacket. The data unit from/to a higher protocol layer is referred to asa service data unit (SDU) of the lower protocol layer and the data unitto/from a lower protocol layer is referred to as a protocol data unit(PDU) of the higher protocol layer. As shown in FIG. 4A, the data unitfrom the SDAP 225 is an SDU of lower protocol layer PDCP 224 and is aPDU of the SDAP 225.

The remaining protocol layers in FIG. 4A may perform their associatedfunctionality (e.g., with respect to FIG. 3 ), add correspondingheaders, and forward their respective outputs to the next lower layer.For example, the PDCP 224 may perform IP-header compression andciphering and forward its output to the RLC 223. The RLC 223 mayoptionally perform segmentation (e.g., as shown for IP packet m in FIG.4A) and forward its output to the MAC 222. The MAC 222 may multiplex anumber of RLC PDUs and may attach a MAC subheader to an RLC PDU to forma transport block. In NR, the MAC subheaders may be distributed acrossthe MAC PDU, as illustrated in FIG. 4A. In LTE, the MAC subheaders maybe entirely located at the beginning of the MAC PDU. The NR MAC PDUstructure may reduce processing time and associated latency because theMAC PDU subheaders may be computed before the full MAC PDU is assembled.

FIG. 4B illustrates an example format of a MAC subheader in a MAC PDU.The MAC subheader includes: an SDU length field for indicating thelength (e.g., in bytes) of the MAC SDU to which the MAC subheadercorresponds; a logical channel identifier (LCID) field for identifyingthe logical channel from which the MAC SDU originated to aid in thedemultiplexing process; a flag (F) for indicating the size of the SDUlength field; and a reserved bit (R) field for future use.

FIG. 4B further illustrates MAC control elements (CEs) inserted into theMAC PDU by a MAC, such as MAC 223 or MAC 222. For example, FIG. 4Billustrates two MAC CEs inserted into the MAC PDU. MAC CEs may beinserted at the beginning of a MAC PDU for downlink transmissions (asshown in FIG. 4B) and at the end of a MAC PDU for uplink transmissions.MAC CEs may be used for in-band control signaling. Example MAC CEsinclude: scheduling-related MAC CEs, such as buffer status reports andpower headroom reports; activation/deactivation MAC CEs, such as thosefor activation/deactivation of PDCP duplication detection, channel stateinformation (CSI) reporting, sounding reference signal (SRS)transmission, and prior configured components; discontinuous reception(DRX) related MAC CEs; timing advance MAC CEs; and random access relatedMAC CEs. A MAC CE may be preceded by a MAC subheader with a similarformat as described for MAC SDUs and may be identified with a reservedvalue in the LCID field that indicates the type of control informationincluded in the MAC CE.

Before describing the NR control plane protocol stack, logical channels,transport channels, and physical channels are first described as well asa mapping between the channel types. One or more of the channels may beused to carry out functions associated with the NR control planeprotocol stack described later below.

FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B illustrate, for downlink and uplink respectively, amapping between logical channels, transport channels, and physicalchannels. Information is passed through channels between the RLC, theMAC, and the PHY of the NR protocol stack. A logical channel may be usedbetween the RLC and the MAC and may be classified as a control channelthat carries control and configuration information in the NR controlplane or as a traffic channel that carries data in the NR user plane. Alogical channel may be classified as a dedicated logical channel that isdedicated to a specific UE or as a common logical channel that may beused by more than one UE. A logical channel may also be defined by thetype of information it carries. The set of logical channels defined byNR include, for example:

-   -   a paging control channel (PCCH) for carrying paging messages        used to page a UE whose location is not known to the network on        a cell level;    -   a broadcast control channel (BCCH) for carrying system        information messages in the form of a master information block        (MIB) and several system information blocks (SIBs), wherein the        system information messages may be used by the UEs to obtain        information about how a cell is configured and how to operate        within the cell;    -   a common control channel (CCCH) for carrying control messages        together with random access;    -   a dedicated control channel (DCCH) for carrying control messages        to/from a specific the UE to configure the UE; and    -   a dedicated traffic channel (DTCH) for carrying user data        to/from a specific the UE.

Transport channels are used between the MAC and PHY layers and may bedefined by how the information they carry is transmitted over the airinterface. The set of transport channels defined by NR include, forexample:

-   -   a paging channel (PCH) for carrying paging messages that        originated from the PCCH;    -   a broadcast channel (BCH) for carrying the MIB from the BCCH;    -   a downlink shared channel (DL-SCH) for carrying downlink data        and signaling messages, including the SIBs from the BCCH;    -   an uplink shared channel (UL-SCH) for carrying uplink data and        signaling messages; and    -   a random access channel (RACH) for allowing a UE to contact the        network without any prior scheduling.

The PHY may use physical channels to pass information between processinglevels of the PHY. A physical channel may have an associated set oftime-frequency resources for carrying the information of one or moretransport channels. The PHY may generate control information to supportthe low-level operation of the PHY and provide the control informationto the lower levels of the PHY via physical control channels, known asL1/L2 control channels. The set of physical channels and physicalcontrol channels defined by NR include, for example:

-   -   a physical broadcast channel (PBCH) for carrying the MIB from        the BCH;    -   a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) for carrying downlink        data and signaling messages from the DL-SCH, as well as paging        messages from the PCH;    -   a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) for carrying        downlink control information (DCI), which may include downlink        scheduling commands, uplink scheduling grants, and uplink power        control commands;    -   a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) for carrying uplink        data and signaling messages from the UL-SCH and in some        instances uplink control information (UCI) as described below;    -   a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) for carrying UCI,        which may include HARQ acknowledgments, channel quality        indicators (CQI), pre-coding matrix indicators (PMI), rank        indicators (RI), and scheduling requests (SR); and    -   a physical random access channel (PRACH) for random access.

Similar to the physical control channels, the physical layer generatesphysical signals to support the low-level operation of the physicallayer. As shown in FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B, the physical layer signalsdefined by NR include: primary synchronization signals (PSS), secondarysynchronization signals (SSS), channel state information referencesignals (CSI-RS), demodulation reference signals (DMRS), soundingreference signals (SRS), and phase-tracking reference signals (PT-RS).These physical layer signals will be described in greater detail below.

FIG. 2B illustrates an example NR control plane protocol stack. As shownin FIG. 2B, the NR control plane protocol stack may use the same/similarfirst four protocol layers as the example NR user plane protocol stack.These four protocol layers include the PHYs 211 and 221, the MACs 212and 222, the RLCs 213 and 223, and the PDCPs 214 and 224. Instead ofhaving the SDAPs 215 and 225 at the top of the stack as in the NR userplane protocol stack, the NR control plane stack has radio resourcecontrols (RRCs) 216 and 226 and NAS protocols 217 and 237 at the top ofthe NR control plane protocol stack.

The NAS protocols 217 and 237 may provide control plane functionalitybetween the UE 210 and the AMF 230 (e.g., the AMF 158A) or, moregenerally, between the UE 210 and the CN. The NAS protocols 217 and 237may provide control plane functionality between the UE 210 and the AMF230 via signaling messages, referred to as NAS messages. There is nodirect path between the UE 210 and the AMF 230 through which the NASmessages can be transported. The NAS messages may be transported usingthe AS of the Uu and NG interfaces. NAS protocols 217 and 237 mayprovide control plane functionality such as authentication, security,connection setup, mobility management, and session management.

The RRCs 216 and 226 may provide control plane functionality between theUE 210 and the gNB 220 or, more generally, between the UE 210 and theRAN. The RRCs 216 and 226 may provide control plane functionalitybetween the UE 210 and the gNB 220 via signaling messages, referred toas RRC messages. RRC messages may be transmitted between the UE 210 andthe RAN using signaling radio bearers and the same/similar PDCP, RLC,MAC, and PHY protocol layers. The MAC may multiplex control-plane anduser-plane data into the same transport block (TB). The RRCs 216 and 226may provide control plane functionality such as: broadcast of systeminformation related to AS and NAS; paging initiated by the CN or theRAN; establishment, maintenance and release of an RRC connection betweenthe UE 210 and the RAN; security functions including key management;establishment, configuration, maintenance and release of signaling radiobearers and data radio bearers; mobility functions; QoS managementfunctions; the UE measurement reporting and control of the reporting;detection of and recovery from radio link failure (RLF); and/or NASmessage transfer. As part of establishing an RRC connection, RRCs 216and 226 may establish an RRC context, which may involve configuringparameters for communication between the UE 210 and the RAN.

FIG. 6 is an example diagram showing RRC state transitions of a UE. TheUE may be the same or similar to the wireless device 106 depicted inFIG. 1A, the UE 210 depicted in FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B, or any otherwireless device described in the present disclosure. As illustrated inFIG. 6 , a UE may be in at least one of three RRC states: RRC connected602 (e.g., RRC_CONNECTED), RRC idle 604 (e.g., RRC_IDLE), and RRCinactive 606 (e.g., RRC_INACTIVE).

In RRC connected 602, the UE has an established RRC context and may haveat least one RRC connection with a base station. The base station may besimilar to one of the one or more base stations included in the RAN 104depicted in FIG. 1A, one of the gNBs 160 or ng-eNBs 162 depicted in FIG.1B, the gNB 220 depicted in FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B, or any other basestation described in the present disclosure. The base station with whichthe UE is connected may have the RRC context for the UE. The RRCcontext, referred to as the UE context, may comprise parameters forcommunication between the UE and the base station. These parameters mayinclude, for example: one or more AS contexts; one or more radio linkconfiguration parameters; bearer configuration information (e.g.,relating to a data radio bearer, signaling radio bearer, logicalchannel, QoS flow, and/or PDU session); security information; and/orPHY, MAC, RLC, PDCP, and/or SDAP layer configuration information. Whilein RRC connected 602, mobility of the UE may be managed by the RAN(e.g., the RAN 104 or the NG-RAN 154). The UE may measure the signallevels (e.g., reference signal levels) from a serving cell andneighboring cells and report these measurements to the base stationcurrently serving the UE. The UE's serving base station may request ahandover to a cell of one of the neighboring base stations based on thereported measurements. The RRC state may transition from RRC connected602 to RRC idle 604 through a connection release procedure 608 or to RRCinactive 606 through a connection inactivation procedure 610.

In RRC idle 604, an RRC context may not be established for the UE. InRRC idle 604, the UE may not have an RRC connection with the basestation. While in RRC idle 604, the UE may be in a sleep state for themajority of the time (e.g., to conserve battery power). The UE may wakeup periodically (e.g., once in every discontinuous reception cycle) tomonitor for paging messages from the RAN. Mobility of the UE may bemanaged by the UE through a procedure known as cell reselection. The RRCstate may transition from RRC idle 604 to RRC connected 602 through aconnection establishment procedure 612, which may involve a randomaccess procedure as discussed in greater detail below.

In RRC inactive 606, the RRC context previously established ismaintained in the UE and the base station. This allows for a fasttransition to RRC connected 602 with reduced signaling overhead ascompared to the transition from RRC idle 604 to RRC connected 602. Whilein RRC inactive 606, the UE may be in a sleep state and mobility of theUE may be managed by the UE through cell reselection. The RRC state maytransition from RRC inactive 606 to RRC connected 602 through aconnection resume procedure 614 or to RRC idle 604 though a connectionrelease procedure 616 that may be the same as or similar to connectionrelease procedure 608.

An RRC state may be associated with a mobility management mechanism. InRRC idle 604 and RRC inactive 606, mobility is managed by the UE throughcell reselection. The purpose of mobility management in RRC idle 604 andRRC inactive 606 is to allow the network to be able to notify the UE ofan event via a paging message without having to broadcast the pagingmessage over the entire mobile communications network. The mobilitymanagement mechanism used in RRC idle 604 and RRC inactive 606 may allowthe network to track the UE on a cell-group level so that the pagingmessage may be broadcast over the cells of the cell group that the UEcurrently resides within instead of the entire mobile communicationnetwork. The mobility management mechanisms for RRC idle 604 and RRCinactive 606 track the UE on a cell-group level. They may do so usingdifferent granularities of grouping. For example, there may be threelevels of cell-grouping granularity: individual cells; cells within aRAN area identified by a RAN area identifier (RAI); and cells within agroup of RAN areas, referred to as a tracking area and identified by atracking area identifier (TAI).

Tracking areas may be used to track the UE at the CN level. The CN(e.g., the CN 102 or the 5G-CN 152) may provide the UE with a list ofTAIs associated with a UE registration area. If the UE moves, throughcell reselection, to a cell associated with a TAI not included in thelist of TAIs associated with the UE registration area, the UE mayperform a registration update with the CN to allow the CN to update theUE's location and provide the UE with a new the UE registration area.

RAN areas may be used to track the UE at the RAN level. For a UE in RRCinactive 606 state, the UE may be assigned a RAN notification area. ARAN notification area may comprise one or more cell identities, a listof RAIs, or a list of TAIs. In an example, a base station may belong toone or more RAN notification areas. In an example, a cell may belong toone or more RAN notification areas. If the UE moves, through cellreselection, to a cell not included in the RAN notification areaassigned to the UE, the UE may perform a notification area update withthe RAN to update the UE's RAN notification area.

A base station storing an RRC context for a UE or a last serving basestation of the UE may be referred to as an anchor base station. Ananchor base station may maintain an RRC context for the UE at leastduring a period of time that the UE stays in a RAN notification area ofthe anchor base station and/or during a period of time that the UE staysin RRC inactive 606.

A gNB, such as gNBs 160 in FIG. 1B, may be split in two parts: a centralunit (gNB-CU), and one or more distributed units (gNB-DU). A gNB-CU maybe coupled to one or more gNB-DUs using an F1 interface. The gNB-CU maycomprise the RRC, the PDCP, and the SDAP. A gNB-DU may comprise the RLC,the MAC, and the PHY.

In NR, the physical signals and physical channels (discussed withrespect to FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B) may be mapped onto orthogonal frequencydivisional multiplexing (OFDM) symbols. OFDM is a multicarriercommunication scheme that transmits data over F orthogonal subcarriers(or tones). Before transmission, the data may be mapped to a series ofcomplex symbols (e.g., M-quadrature amplitude modulation (M-QAM) orM-phase shift keying (M-PSK) symbols), referred to as source symbols,and divided into F parallel symbol streams. The F parallel symbolstreams may be treated as though they are in the frequency domain andused as inputs to an Inverse Fast Fourier Transform (IFFT) block thattransforms them into the time domain. The IFFT block may take in Fsource symbols at a time, one from each of the F parallel symbolstreams, and use each source symbol to modulate the amplitude and phaseof one of F sinusoidal basis functions that correspond to the Forthogonal subcarriers. The output of the IFFT block may be Ftime-domain samples that represent the summation of the F orthogonalsubcarriers. The F time-domain samples may form a single OFDM symbol.After some processing (e.g., addition of a cyclic prefix) andup-conversion, an OFDM symbol provided by the IFFT block may betransmitted over the air interface on a carrier frequency. The Fparallel symbol streams may be mixed using an FFT block before beingprocessed by the IFFT block. This operation produces Discrete FourierTransform (DFT)-precoded OFDM symbols and may be used by UEs in theuplink to reduce the peak to average power ratio (PAPR). Inverseprocessing may be performed on the OFDM symbol at a receiver using anFFT block to recover the data mapped to the source symbols.

FIG. 7 illustrates an example configuration of an NR frame into whichOFDM symbols are grouped. An NR frame may be identified by a systemframe number (SFN). The SFN may repeat with a period of 1024 frames. Asillustrated, one NR frame may be 10 milliseconds (ms) in duration andmay include 10 subframes that are 1 ms in duration. A subframe may bedivided into slots that include, for example, 14 OFDM symbols per slot.

The duration of a slot may depend on the numerology used for the OFDMsymbols of the slot. In NR, a flexible numerology is supported toaccommodate different cell deployments (e.g., cells with carrierfrequencies below 1 GHz up to cells with carrier frequencies in themm-wave range). A numerology may be defined in terms of subcarrierspacing and cyclic prefix duration. For a numerology in NR, subcarrierspacings may be scaled up by powers of two from a baseline subcarrierspacing of 15 kHz, and cyclic prefix durations may be scaled down bypowers of two from a baseline cyclic prefix duration of 4.7 μs. Forexample, NR defines numerologies with the following subcarrierspacing/cyclic prefix duration combinations: 15 kHz/4.7 μs; 30 kHz/2.3μs; 60 kHz/1.2 μs; 120 kHz/0.59 μs; and 240 kHz/0.29 μs.

A slot may have a fixed number of OFDM symbols (e.g., 14 OFDM symbols).A numerology with a higher subcarrier spacing has a shorter slotduration and, correspondingly, more slots per subframe. FIG. 7illustrates this numerology-dependent slot duration andslots-per-subframe transmission structure (the numerology with asubcarrier spacing of 240 kHz is not shown in FIG. 7 for ease ofillustration). A subframe in NR may be used as a numerology-independenttime reference, while a slot may be used as the unit upon which uplinkand downlink transmissions are scheduled. To support low latency,scheduling in NR may be decoupled from the slot duration and start atany OFDM symbol and last for as many symbols as needed for atransmission. These partial slot transmissions may be referred to asmini-slot or subslot transmissions.

FIG. 8 illustrates an example configuration of a slot in the time andfrequency domain for an NR carrier. The slot includes resource elements(REs) and resource blocks (RBs). An RE is the smallest physical resourcein NR. An RE spans one OFDM symbol in the time domain by one subcarrierin the frequency domain as shown in FIG. 8 . An RB spans twelveconsecutive REs in the frequency domain as shown in FIG. 8 . An NRcarrier may be limited to a width of 275 RBs or 275×12=3300 subcarriers.Such a limitation, if used, may limit the NR carrier to 50, 100, 200,and 400 MHz for subcarrier spacings of 15, 30, 60, and 120 kHz,respectively, where the 400 MHz bandwidth may be set based on a 400 MHzper carrier bandwidth limit.

FIG. 8 illustrates a single numerology being used across the entirebandwidth of the NR carrier. In other example configurations, multiplenumerologies may be supported on the same carrier.

NR may support wide carrier bandwidths (e.g., up to 400 MHz for asubcarrier spacing of 120 kHz). Not all UEs may be able to receive thefull carrier bandwidth (e.g., due to hardware limitations). Also,receiving the full carrier bandwidth may be prohibitive in terms of UEpower consumption. In an example, to reduce power consumption and/or forother purposes, a UE may adapt the size of the UE's receive bandwidthbased on the amount of traffic the UE is scheduled to receive. This isreferred to as bandwidth adaptation.

NR defines bandwidth parts (BWPs) to support UEs not capable ofreceiving the full carrier bandwidth and to support bandwidthadaptation. In an example, a BWP may be defined by a subset ofcontiguous RBs on a carrier. A UE may be configured (e.g., via RRClayer) with one or more downlink BWPs and one or more uplink BWPs perserving cell (e.g., up to four downlink BWPs and up to four uplink BWPsper serving cell). At a given time, one or more of the configured BWPsfor a serving cell may be active. These one or more BWPs may be referredto as active BWPs of the serving cell. When a serving cell is configuredwith a secondary uplink carrier, the serving cell may have one or morefirst active BWPs in the uplink carrier and one or more second activeBWPs in the secondary uplink carrier.

For unpaired spectra, a downlink BWP from a set of configured downlinkBWPs may be linked with an uplink BWP from a set of configured uplinkBWPs if a downlink BWP index of the downlink BWP and an uplink BWP indexof the uplink BWP are the same. For unpaired spectra, a UE may expectthat a center frequency for a downlink BWP is the same as a centerfrequency for an uplink BWP.

For a downlink BWP in a set of configured downlink BWPs on a primarycell (PCell), a base station may configure a UE with one or more controlresource sets (CORESETs) for at least one search space. A search spaceis a set of locations in the time and frequency domains where the UE mayfind control information. The search space may be a UE-specific searchspace or a common search space (potentially usable by a plurality ofUEs). For example, a base station may configure a UE with a commonsearch space, on a PCell or on a primary secondary cell (PSCell), in anactive downlink BWP.

For an uplink BWP in a set of configured uplink BWPs, a BS may configurea UE with one or more resource sets for one or more PUCCH transmissions.A UE may receive downlink receptions (e.g., PDCCH or PDSCH) in adownlink BWP according to a configured numerology (e.g., subcarrierspacing and cyclic prefix duration) for the downlink BWP. The UE maytransmit uplink transmissions (e.g., PUCCH or PUSCH) in an uplink BWPaccording to a configured numerology (e.g., subcarrier spacing andcyclic prefix length for the uplink BWP).

One or more BWP indicator fields may be provided in Downlink ControlInformation (DCI). A value of a BWP indicator field may indicate whichBWP in a set of configured BWPs is an active downlink BWP for one ormore downlink receptions. The value of the one or more BWP indicatorfields may indicate an active uplink BWP for one or more uplinktransmissions.

A base station may semi-statically configure a UE with a defaultdownlink BWP within a set of configured downlink BWPs associated with aPCell. If the base station does not provide the default downlink BWP tothe UE, the default downlink BWP may be an initial active downlink BWP.The UE may determine which BWP is the initial active downlink BWP basedon a CORESET configuration obtained using the PBCH.

A base station may configure a UE with a BWP inactivity timer value fora PCell. The UE may start or restart a BWP inactivity timer at anyappropriate time. For example, the UE may start or restart the BWPinactivity timer (a) when the UE detects a DCI indicating an activedownlink BWP other than a default downlink BWP for a paired spectraoperation; or (b) when a UE detects a DCI indicating an active downlinkBWP or active uplink BWP other than a default downlink BWP or uplink BWPfor an unpaired spectra operation. If the UE does not detect DCI duringan interval of time (e.g., 1 ms or 0.5 ms), the UE may run the BWPinactivity timer toward expiration (for example, increment from zero tothe BWP inactivity timer value, or decrement from the BWP inactivitytimer value to zero). When the BWP inactivity timer expires, the UE mayswitch from the active downlink BWP to the default downlink BWP.

In an example, a base station may semi-statically configure a UE withone or more BWPs. A UE may switch an active BWP from a first BWP to asecond BWP in response to receiving a DCI indicating the second BWP asan active BWP and/or in response to an expiry of the BWP inactivitytimer (e.g., if the second BWP is the default BWP).

Downlink and uplink BWP switching (where BWP switching refers toswitching from a currently active BWP to a not currently active BWP) maybe performed independently in paired spectra. In unpaired spectra,downlink and uplink BWP switching may be performed simultaneously.Switching between configured BWPs may occur based on RRC signaling, DCI,expiration of a BWP inactivity timer, and/or an initiation of randomaccess.

FIG. 9 illustrates an example of bandwidth adaptation using threeconfigured BWPs for an NR carrier. A UE configured with the three BWPsmay switch from one BWP to another BWP at a switching point. In theexample illustrated in FIG. 9 , the BWPs include: a BWP 902 with abandwidth of 40 MHz and a subcarrier spacing of 15 kHz; a BWP 904 with abandwidth of 10 MHz and a subcarrier spacing of 15 kHz; and a BWP 906with a bandwidth of 20 MHz and a subcarrier spacing of 60 kHz. The BWP902 may be an initial active BWP, and the BWP 904 may be a default BWP.The UE may switch between BWPs at switching points. In the example ofFIG. 9 , the UE may switch from the BWP 902 to the BWP 904 at aswitching point 908. The switching at the switching point 908 may occurfor any suitable reason, for example, in response to an expiry of a BWPinactivity timer (indicating switching to the default BWP) and/or inresponse to receiving a DCI indicating BWP 904 as the active BWP. The UEmay switch at a switching point 910 from active BWP 904 to BWP 906 inresponse receiving a DCI indicating BWP 906 as the active BWP. The UEmay switch at a switching point 912 from active BWP 906 to BWP 904 inresponse to an expiry of a BWP inactivity timer and/or in responsereceiving a DCI indicating BWP 904 as the active BWP. The UE may switchat a switching point 914 from active BWP 904 to BWP 902 in responsereceiving a DCI indicating BWP 902 as the active BWP.

If a UE is configured for a secondary cell with a default downlink BWPin a set of configured downlink BWPs and a timer value, UE proceduresfor switching BWPs on a secondary cell may be the same/similar as thoseon a primary cell. For example, the UE may use the timer value and thedefault downlink BWP for the secondary cell in the same/similar manneras the UE would use these values for a primary cell.

To provide for greater data rates, two or more carriers can beaggregated and simultaneously transmitted to/from the same UE usingcarrier aggregation (CA). The aggregated carriers in CA may be referredto as component carriers (CCs). When CA is used, there are a number ofserving cells for the UE, one for a CC. The CCs may have threeconfigurations in the frequency domain.

FIG. 10A illustrates the three CA configurations with two CCs. In theintraband, contiguous configuration 1002, the two CCs are aggregated inthe same frequency band (frequency band A) and are located directlyadjacent to each other within the frequency band. In the intraband,non-contiguous configuration 1004, the two CCs are aggregated in thesame frequency band (frequency band A) and are separated in thefrequency band by a gap. In the interband configuration 1006, the twoCCs are located in frequency bands (frequency band A and frequency bandB).

In an example, up to 32 CCs may be aggregated. The aggregated CCs mayhave the same or different bandwidths, subcarrier spacing, and/orduplexing schemes (TDD or FDD). A serving cell for a UE using CA mayhave a downlink CC. For FDD, one or more uplink CCs may be optionallyconfigured for a serving cell. The ability to aggregate more downlinkcarriers than uplink carriers may be useful, for example, when the UEhas more data traffic in the downlink than in the uplink.

When CA is used, one of the aggregated cells for a UE may be referred toas a primary cell (PCell). The PCell may be the serving cell that the UEinitially connects to at RRC connection establishment, reestablishment,and/or handover. The PCell may provide the UE with NAS mobilityinformation and the security input. UEs may have different PCells. Inthe downlink, the carrier corresponding to the PCell may be referred toas the downlink primary CC (DL PCC). In the uplink, the carriercorresponding to the PCell may be referred to as the uplink primary CC(UL PCC). The other aggregated cells for the UE may be referred to assecondary cells (SCells). In an example, the SCells may be configuredafter the PCell is configured for the UE. For example, an SCell may beconfigured through an RRC Connection Reconfiguration procedure. In thedownlink, the carrier corresponding to an SCell may be referred to as adownlink secondary CC (DL SCC). In the uplink, the carrier correspondingto the SCell may be referred to as the uplink secondary CC (UL SCC).

Configured SCells for a UE may be activated and deactivated based on,for example, traffic and channel conditions. Deactivation of an SCellmay mean that PDCCH and PDSCH reception on the SCell is stopped andPUSCH, SRS, and CQI transmissions on the SCell are stopped. ConfiguredSCells may be activated and deactivated using a MAC CE with respect toFIG. 4B. For example, a MAC CE may use a bitmap (e.g., one bit perSCell) to indicate which SCells (e.g., in a subset of configured SCells)for the UE are activated or deactivated. Configured SCells may bedeactivated in response to an expiration of an SCell deactivation timer(e.g., one SCell deactivation timer per SCell).

Downlink control information, such as scheduling assignments andscheduling grants, for a cell may be transmitted on the cellcorresponding to the assignments and grants, which is known asself-scheduling. The DCI for the cell may be transmitted on anothercell, which is known as cross-carrier scheduling. Uplink controlinformation (e.g., HARQ acknowledgments and channel state feedback, suchas CQI, PMI, and/or RI) for aggregated cells may be transmitted on thePUCCH of the PCell. For a larger number of aggregated downlink CCs, thePUCCH of the PCell may become overloaded. Cells may be divided intomultiple PUCCH groups.

FIG. 10B illustrates an example of how aggregated cells may beconfigured into one or more PUCCH groups. A PUCCH group 1010 and a PUCCHgroup 1050 may include one or more downlink CCs, respectively. In theexample of FIG. 10B, the PUCCH group 1010 includes three downlink CCs: aPCell 1011, an SCell 1012, and an SCell 1013. The PUCCH group 1050includes three downlink CCs in the present example: a PCell 1051, anSCell 1052, and an SCell 1053. One or more uplink CCs may be configuredas a PCell 1021, an SCell 1022, and an SCell 1023. One or more otheruplink CCs may be configured as a primary Scell (PSCell) 1061, an SCell1062, and an SCell 1063. Uplink control information (UCI) related to thedownlink CCs of the PUCCH group 1010, shown as UCI 1031, UCI 1032, andUCI 1033, may be transmitted in the uplink of the PCell 1021. Uplinkcontrol information (UCI) related to the downlink CCs of the PUCCH group1050, shown as UCI 1071, UCI 1072, and UCI 1073, may be transmitted inthe uplink of the PSCell 1061. In an example, if the aggregated cellsdepicted in FIG. 10B were not divided into the PUCCH group 1010 and thePUCCH group 1050, a single uplink PCell to transmit UCI relating to thedownlink CCs, and the PCell may become overloaded. By dividingtransmissions of UCI between the PCell 1021 and the PSCell 1061,overloading may be prevented.

A cell, comprising a downlink carrier and optionally an uplink carrier,may be assigned with a physical cell ID and a cell index. The physicalcell ID or the cell index may identify a downlink carrier and/or anuplink carrier of the cell, for example, depending on the context inwhich the physical cell ID is used. A physical cell ID may be determinedusing a synchronization signal transmitted on a downlink componentcarrier. A cell index may be determined using RRC messages. In thedisclosure, a physical cell ID may be referred to as a carrier ID, and acell index may be referred to as a carrier index. For example, when thedisclosure refers to a first physical cell ID for a first downlinkcarrier, the disclosure may mean the first physical cell ID is for acell comprising the first downlink carrier. The same/similar concept mayapply to, for example, a carrier activation. When the disclosureindicates that a first carrier is activated, the specification may meanthat a cell comprising the first carrier is activated.

In CA, a multi-carrier nature of a PHY may be exposed to a MAC. In anexample, a HARQ entity may operate on a serving cell. A transport blockmay be generated per assignment/grant per serving cell. A transportblock and potential HARQ retransmissions of the transport block may bemapped to a serving cell.

In the downlink, a base station may transmit (e.g., unicast, multicast,and/or broadcast) one or more Reference Signals (RSs) to a UE (e.g.,PSS, SSS, CSI-RS, DMRS, and/or PT-RS, as shown in FIG. 5A). In theuplink, the UE may transmit one or more RSs to the base station (e.g.,DMRS, PT-RS, and/or SRS, as shown in FIG. 5B). The PSS and the SSS maybe transmitted by the base station and used by the UE to synchronize theUE to the base station. The PSS and the SSS may be provided in asynchronization signal (SS)/physical broadcast channel (PBCH) block thatincludes the PSS, the SSS, and the PBCH. The base station mayperiodically transmit a burst of SS/PBCH blocks.

FIG. 11A illustrates an example of an SS/PBCH block's structure andlocation. A burst of SS/PBCH blocks may include one or more SS/PBCHblocks (e.g., 4 SS/PBCH blocks, as shown in FIG. 11A). Bursts may betransmitted periodically (e.g., every 2 frames or 20 ms). A burst may berestricted to a half-frame (e.g., a first half-frame having a durationof 5 ms). It will be understood that FIG. 11A is an example, and thatthese parameters (number of SS/PBCH blocks per burst, periodicity ofbursts, position of burst within the frame) may be configured based on,for example: a carrier frequency of a cell in which the SS/PBCH block istransmitted; a numerology or subcarrier spacing of the cell; aconfiguration by the network (e.g., using RRC signaling); or any othersuitable factor. In an example, the UE may assume a subcarrier spacingfor the SS/PBCH block based on the carrier frequency being monitored,unless the radio network configured the UE to assume a differentsubcarrier spacing.

The SS/PBCH block may span one or more OFDM symbols in the time domain(e.g., 4 OFDM symbols, as shown in the example of FIG. 11A) and may spanone or more subcarriers in the frequency domain (e.g., 240 contiguoussubcarriers). The PSS, the SSS, and the PBCH may have a common centerfrequency. The PSS may be transmitted first and may span, for example, 1OFDM symbol and 127 subcarriers. The SSS may be transmitted after thePSS (e.g., two symbols later) and may span 1 OFDM symbol and 127subcarriers. The PBCH may be transmitted after the PSS (e.g., across thenext 3 OFDM symbols) and may span 240 subcarriers.

The location of the SS/PBCH block in the time and frequency domains maynot be known to the UE (e.g., if the UE is searching for the cell). Tofind and select the cell, the UE may monitor a carrier for the PSS. Forexample, the UE may monitor a frequency location within the carrier. Ifthe PSS is not found after a certain duration (e.g., 20 ms), the UE maysearch for the PSS at a different frequency location within the carrier,as indicated by a synchronization raster. If the PSS is found at alocation in the time and frequency domains, the UE may determine, basedon a known structure of the SS/PBCH block, the locations of the SSS andthe PBCH, respectively. The SS/PBCH block may be a cell-defining SSblock (CD-SSB). In an example, a primary cell may be associated with aCD-SSB. The CD-SSB may be located on a synchronization raster. In anexample, a cell selection/search and/or reselection may be based on theCD-SSB.

The SS/PBCH block may be used by the UE to determine one or moreparameters of the cell. For example, the UE may determine a physicalcell identifier (PCI) of the cell based on the sequences of the PSS andthe SSS, respectively. The UE may determine a location of a frameboundary of the cell based on the location of the SS/PBCH block. Forexample, the SS/PBCH block may indicate that it has been transmitted inaccordance with a transmission pattern, wherein a SS/PBCH block in thetransmission pattern is a known distance from the frame boundary.

The PBCH may use a QPSK modulation and may use forward error correction(FEC). The FEC may use polar coding. One or more symbols spanned by thePBCH may carry one or more DMRSs for demodulation of the PBCH. The PBCHmay include an indication of a current system frame number (SFN) of thecell and/or a SS/PBCH block timing index. These parameters mayfacilitate time synchronization of the UE to the base station. The PBCHmay include a master information block (MIB) used to provide the UE withone or more parameters. The MIB may be used by the UE to locateremaining minimum system information (RMSI) associated with the cell.The RMSI may include a System Information Block Type 1 (SIB1). The SIB1may contain information needed by the UE to access the cell. The UE mayuse one or more parameters of the MIB to monitor PDCCH, which may beused to schedule PDSCH. The PDSCH may include the SIB1. The SIB1 may bedecoded using parameters provided in the MIB. The PBCH may indicate anabsence of SIB1. Based on the PBCH indicating the absence of SIB1, theUE may be pointed to a frequency. The UE may search for an SS/PBCH blockat the frequency to which the UE is pointed.

The UE may assume that one or more SS/PBCH blocks transmitted with asame SS/PBCH block index are quasi co-located (QCLed) (e.g., having thesame/similar Doppler spread, Doppler shift, average gain, average delay,and/or spatial Rx parameters). The UE may not assume QCL for SS/PBCHblock transmissions having different SS/PBCH block indices.

SS/PBCH blocks (e.g., those within a half-frame) may be transmitted inspatial directions (e.g., using different beams that span a coveragearea of the cell). In an example, a first SS/PBCH block may betransmitted in a first spatial direction using a first beam, and asecond SS/PBCH block may be transmitted in a second spatial directionusing a second beam.

In an example, within a frequency span of a carrier, a base station maytransmit a plurality of SS/PBCH blocks. In an example, a first PCI of afirst SS/PBCH block of the plurality of SS/PBCH blocks may be differentfrom a second PCI of a second SS/PBCH block of the plurality of SS/PBCHblocks. The PCIs of SS/PBCH blocks transmitted in different frequencylocations may be different or the same.

The CSI-RS may be transmitted by the base station and used by the UE toacquire channel state information (CSI). The base station may configurethe UE with one or more CSI-RSs for channel estimation or any othersuitable purpose. The base station may configure a UE with one or moreof the same/similar CSI-RSs. The UE may measure the one or more CSI-RSs.The UE may estimate a downlink channel state and/or generate a CSIreport based on the measuring of the one or more downlink CSI-RSs. TheUE may provide the CSI report to the base station. The base station mayuse feedback provided by the UE (e.g., the estimated downlink channelstate) to perform link adaptation.

The base station may semi-statically configure the UE with one or moreCSI-RS resource sets. A CSI-RS resource may be associated with alocation in the time and frequency domains and a periodicity. The basestation may selectively activate and/or deactivate a CSI-RS resource.The base station may indicate to the UE that a CSI-RS resource in theCSI-RS resource set is activated and/or deactivated.

The base station may configure the UE to report CSI measurements. Thebase station may configure the UE to provide CSI reports periodically,aperiodically, or semi-persistently. For periodic CSI reporting, the UEmay be configured with a timing and/or periodicity of a plurality of CSIreports. For aperiodic CSI reporting, the base station may request a CSIreport. For example, the base station may command the UE to measure aconfigured CSI-RS resource and provide a CSI report relating to themeasurements. For semi-persistent CSI reporting, the base station mayconfigure the UE to transmit periodically, and selectively activate ordeactivate the periodic reporting. The base station may configure the UEwith a CSI-RS resource set and CSI reports using RRC signaling.

The CSI-RS configuration may comprise one or more parameters indicating,for example, up to 32 antenna ports. The UE may be configured to employthe same OFDM symbols for a downlink CSI-RS and a control resource set(CORESET) when the downlink CSI-RS and CORESET are spatially QCLed andresource elements associated with the downlink CSI-RS are outside of thephysical resource blocks (PRBs) configured for the CORESET. The UE maybe configured to employ the same OFDM symbols for downlink CSI-RS andSS/PBCH blocks when the downlink CSI-RS and SS/PBCH blocks are spatiallyQCLed and resource elements associated with the downlink CSI-RS areoutside of PRBs configured for the SS/PBCH blocks.

Downlink DMRSs may be transmitted by a base station and used by a UE forchannel estimation. For example, the downlink DMRS may be used forcoherent demodulation of one or more downlink physical channels (e.g.,PDSCH). An NR network may support one or more variable and/orconfigurable DMRS patterns for data demodulation. At least one downlinkDMRS configuration may support a front-loaded DMRS pattern. Afront-loaded DMRS may be mapped over one or more OFDM symbols (e.g., oneor two adjacent OFDM symbols). A base station may semi-staticallyconfigure the UE with a number (e.g. a maximum number) of front-loadedDMRS symbols for PDSCH. A DMRS configuration may support one or moreDMRS ports. For example, for single user-MIMO, a DMRS configuration maysupport up to eight orthogonal downlink DMRS ports per UE. Formultiuser-MIMO, a DMRS configuration may support up to 4 orthogonaldownlink DMRS ports per UE. A radio network may support (e.g., at leastfor CP-OFDM) a common DMRS structure for downlink and uplink, wherein aDMRS location, a DMRS pattern, and/or a scrambling sequence may be thesame or different. The base station may transmit a downlink DMRS and acorresponding PDSCH using the same precoding matrix. The UE may use theone or more downlink DMRSs for coherent demodulation/channel estimationof the PDSCH.

In an example, a transmitter (e.g., a base station) may use a precodermatrices for a part of a transmission bandwidth. For example, thetransmitter may use a first precoder matrix for a first bandwidth and asecond precoder matrix for a second bandwidth. The first precoder matrixand the second precoder matrix may be different based on the firstbandwidth being different from the second bandwidth. The UE may assumethat a same precoding matrix is used across a set of PRBs. The set ofPRBs may be denoted as a precoding resource block group (PRG).

A PDSCH may comprise one or more layers. The UE may assume that at leastone symbol with DMRS is present on a layer of the one or more layers ofthe PDSCH. A higher layer may configure up to 3 DMRSs for the PDSCH.

Downlink PT-RS may be transmitted by a base station and used by a UE forphase-noise compensation. Whether a downlink PT-RS is present or not maydepend on an RRC configuration. The presence and/or pattern of thedownlink PT-RS may be configured on a UE-specific basis using acombination of RRC signaling and/or an association with one or moreparameters employed for other purposes (e.g., modulation and codingscheme (MCS)), which may be indicated by DCI. When configured, a dynamicpresence of a downlink PT-RS may be associated with one or more DCIparameters comprising at least MCS. An NR network may support aplurality of PT-RS densities defined in the time and/or frequencydomains. When present, a frequency domain density may be associated withat least one configuration of a scheduled bandwidth. The UE may assume asame precoding for a DMRS port and a PT-RS port. A number of PT-RS portsmay be fewer than a number of DMRS ports in a scheduled resource.Downlink PT-RS may be confined in the scheduled time/frequency durationfor the UE. Downlink PT-RS may be transmitted on symbols to facilitatephase tracking at the receiver.

The UE may transmit an uplink DMRS to a base station for channelestimation. For example, the base station may use the uplink DMRS forcoherent demodulation of one or more uplink physical channels. Forexample, the UE may transmit an uplink DMRS with a PUSCH and/or a PUCCH.The uplink DM-RS may span a range of frequencies that is similar to arange of frequencies associated with the corresponding physical channel.The base station may configure the UE with one or more uplink DMRSconfigurations. At least one DMRS configuration may support afront-loaded DMRS pattern. The front-loaded DMRS may be mapped over oneor more OFDM symbols (e.g., one or two adjacent OFDM symbols). One ormore uplink DMRSs may be configured to transmit at one or more symbolsof a PUSCH and/or a PUCCH. The base station may semi-staticallyconfigure the UE with a number (e.g. maximum number) of front-loadedDMRS symbols for the PUSCH and/or the PUCCH, which the UE may use toschedule a single-symbol DMRS and/or a double-symbol DMRS. An NR networkmay support (e.g., for cyclic prefix orthogonal frequency divisionmultiplexing (CP-OFDM)) a common DMRS structure for downlink and uplink,wherein a DMRS location, a DMRS pattern, and/or a scrambling sequencefor the DMRS may be the same or different.

A PUSCH may comprise one or more layers, and the UE may transmit atleast one symbol with DMRS present on a layer of the one or more layersof the PUSCH. In an example, a higher layer may configure up to threeDMRSs for the PUSCH.

Uplink PT-RS (which may be used by a base station for phase trackingand/or phase-noise compensation) may or may not be present depending onan RRC configuration of the UE. The presence and/or pattern of uplinkPT-RS may be configured on a UE-specific basis by a combination of RRCsignaling and/or one or more parameters employed for other purposes(e.g., Modulation and Coding Scheme (MCS)), which may be indicated byDCI. When configured, a dynamic presence of uplink PT-RS may beassociated with one or more DCI parameters comprising at least MCS. Aradio network may support a plurality of uplink PT-RS densities definedin time/frequency domain. When present, a frequency domain density maybe associated with at least one configuration of a scheduled bandwidth.The UE may assume a same precoding for a DMRS port and a PT-RS port. Anumber of PT-RS ports may be fewer than a number of DMRS ports in ascheduled resource. For example, uplink PT-RS may be confined in thescheduled time/frequency duration for the UE.

SRS may be transmitted by a UE to a base station for channel stateestimation to support uplink channel dependent scheduling and/or linkadaptation. SRS transmitted by the UE may allow a base station toestimate an uplink channel state at one or more frequencies. A schedulerat the base station may employ the estimated uplink channel state toassign one or more resource blocks for an uplink PUSCH transmission fromthe UE. The base station may semi-statically configure the UE with oneor more SRS resource sets. For an SRS resource set, the base station mayconfigure the UE with one or more SRS resources. An SRS resource setapplicability may be configured by a higher layer (e.g., RRC) parameter.For example, when a higher layer parameter indicates beam management, anSRS resource in a SRS resource set of the one or more SRS resource sets(e.g., with the same/similar time domain behavior, periodic, aperiodic,and/or the like) may be transmitted at a time instant (e.g.,simultaneously). The UE may transmit one or more SRS resources in SRSresource sets. An NR network may support aperiodic, periodic and/orsemi-persistent SRS transmissions. The UE may transmit SRS resourcesbased on one or more trigger types, wherein the one or more triggertypes may comprise higher layer signaling (e.g., RRC) and/or one or moreDCI formats. In an example, at least one DCI format may be employed forthe UE to select at least one of one or more configured SRS resourcesets. An SRS trigger type 0 may refer to an SRS triggered based on ahigher layer signaling. An SRS trigger type 1 may refer to an SRStriggered based on one or more DCI formats. In an example, when PUSCHand SRS are transmitted in a same slot, the UE may be configured totransmit SRS after a transmission of a PUSCH and a corresponding uplinkDMRS.

The base station may semi-statically configure the UE with one or moreSRS configuration parameters indicating at least one of following: a SRSresource configuration identifier; a number of SRS ports; time domainbehavior of an SRS resource configuration (e.g., an indication ofperiodic, semi-persistent, or aperiodic SRS); slot, mini-slot, and/orsubframe level periodicity; offset for a periodic and/or an aperiodicSRS resource; a number of OFDM symbols in an SRS resource; a startingOFDM symbol of an SRS resource; an SRS bandwidth; a frequency hoppingbandwidth; a cyclic shift; and/or an SRS sequence ID.

An antenna port is defined such that the channel over which a symbol onthe antenna port is conveyed can be inferred from the channel over whichanother symbol on the same antenna port is conveyed. If a first symboland a second symbol are transmitted on the same antenna port, thereceiver may infer the channel (e.g., fading gain, multipath delay,and/or the like) for conveying the second symbol on the antenna port,from the channel for conveying the first symbol on the antenna port. Afirst antenna port and a second antenna port may be referred to as quasico-located (QCLed) if one or more large-scale properties of the channelover which a first symbol on the first antenna port is conveyed may beinferred from the channel over which a second symbol on a second antennaport is conveyed. The one or more large-scale properties may comprise atleast one of: a delay spread; a Doppler spread; a Doppler shift; anaverage gain; an average delay; and/or spatial Receiving (Rx)parameters.

Channels that use beamforming require beam management. Beam managementmay comprise beam measurement, beam selection, and beam indication. Abeam may be associated with one or more reference signals. For example,a beam may be identified by one or more beamformed reference signals.The UE may perform downlink beam measurement based on downlink referencesignals (e.g., a channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS))and generate a beam measurement report. The UE may perform the downlinkbeam measurement procedure after an RRC connection is set up with a basestation.

FIG. 11B illustrates an example of channel state information referencesignals (CSI-RSs) that are mapped in the time and frequency domains. Asquare shown in FIG. 11B may span a resource block (RB) within abandwidth of a cell. A base station may transmit one or more RRCmessages comprising CSI-RS resource configuration parameters indicatingone or more CSI-RSs. One or more of the following parameters may beconfigured by higher layer signaling (e.g., RRC and/or MAC signaling)for a CSI-RS resource configuration: a CSI-RS resource configurationidentity, a number of CSI-RS ports, a CSI-RS configuration (e.g., symboland resource element (RE) locations in a subframe), a CSI-RS subframeconfiguration (e.g., subframe location, offset, and periodicity in aradio frame), a CSI-RS power parameter, a CSI-RSsequence parameter, acode division multiplexing (CDM) type parameter, a frequency density, atransmission comb, quasi co-location (QCL) parameters (e.g.,QCL-scramblingidentity, crs-portscount, mbsfn-subframeconfiglist,csi-rs-configZPid, qcl-csi-rs-configNZPid), and/or other radio resourceparameters.

The three beams illustrated in FIG. 11B may be configured for a UE in aUE-specific configuration. Three beams are illustrated in FIG. 11B (beam#1, beam #2, and beam #3), more or fewer beams may be configured. Beam#1 may be allocated with CSI-RS 1101 that may be transmitted in one ormore subcarriers in an RB of a first symbol. Beam #2 may be allocatedwith CSI-RS 1102 that may be transmitted in one or more subcarriers inan RB of a second symbol. Beam #3 may be allocated with CSI-RS 1103 thatmay be transmitted in one or more subcarriers in an RB of a thirdsymbol. By using frequency division multiplexing (FDM), a base stationmay use other subcarriers in a same RB (for example, those that are notused to transmit CSI-RS 1101) to transmit another CSI-RS associated witha beam for another UE. By using time domain multiplexing (TDM), beamsused for the UE may be configured such that beams for the UE use symbolsfrom beams of other UEs.

CSI-RSs such as those illustrated in FIG. 11B (e.g., CSI-RS 1101, 1102,1103) may be transmitted by the base station and used by the UE for oneor more measurements. For example, the UE may measure a reference signalreceived power (RSRP) of configured CSI-RS resources. The base stationmay configure the UE with a reporting configuration and the UE mayreport the RSRP measurements to a network (for example, via one or morebase stations) based on the reporting configuration. In an example, thebase station may determine, based on the reported measurement results,one or more transmission configuration indication (TCI) statescomprising a number of reference signals. In an example, the basestation may indicate one or more TCI states to the UE (e.g., via RRCsignaling, a MAC CE, and/or a DCI). The UE may receive a downlinktransmission with a receive (Rx) beam determined based on the one ormore TCI states. In an example, the UE may or may not have a capabilityof beam correspondence. If the UE has the capability of beamcorrespondence, the UE may determine a spatial domain filter of atransmit (Tx) beam based on a spatial domain filter of the correspondingRx beam. If the UE does not have the capability of beam correspondence,the UE may perform an uplink beam selection procedure to determine thespatial domain filter of the Tx beam. The UE may perform the uplink beamselection procedure based on one or more sounding reference signal (SRS)resources configured to the UE by the base station. The base station mayselect and indicate uplink beams for the UE based on measurements of theone or more SRS resources transmitted by the UE.

In a beam management procedure, a UE may assess (e.g., measure) achannel quality of one or more beam pair links, a beam pair linkcomprising a transmitting beam transmitted by a base station and areceiving beam received by the UE. Based on the assessment, the UE maytransmit a beam measurement report indicating one or more beam pairquality parameters comprising, e.g., one or more beam identifications(e.g., a beam index, a reference signal index, or the like), RSRP, aprecoding matrix indicator (PMI), a channel quality indicator (CQI),and/or a rank indicator (RI).

FIG. 12A illustrates examples of three downlink beam managementprocedures: P1, P2, and P3. Procedure P1 may enable a UE measurement ontransmit (Tx) beams of a transmission reception point (TRP) (or multipleTRPs), e.g., to support a selection of one or more base station Tx beamsand/or UE Rx beams (shown as ovals in the top row and bottom row,respectively, of P1). Beamforming at a TRP may comprise a Tx beam sweepfor a set of beams (shown, in the top rows of P1 and P2, as ovalsrotated in a counter-clockwise direction indicated by the dashed arrow).Beamforming at a UE may comprise an Rx beam sweep for a set of beams(shown, in the bottom rows of P1 and P3, as ovals rotated in a clockwisedirection indicated by the dashed arrow). Procedure P2 may be used toenable a UE measurement on Tx beams of a TRP (shown, in the top row ofP2, as ovals rotated in a counter-clockwise direction indicated by thedashed arrow). The UE and/or the base station may perform procedure P2using a smaller set of beams than is used in procedure P1, or usingnarrower beams than the beams used in procedure P1. This may be referredto as beam refinement. The UE may perform procedure P3 for Rx beamdetermination by using the same Tx beam at the base station and sweepingan Rx beam at the UE.

FIG. 12B illustrates examples of three uplink beam managementprocedures: U1, U2, and U3. Procedure U1 may be used to enable a basestation to perform a measurement on Tx beams of a UE, e.g., to support aselection of one or more UE Tx beams and/or base station Rx beams (shownas ovals in the top row and bottom row, respectively, of U1).Beamforming at the UE may include, e.g., a Tx beam sweep from a set ofbeams (shown in the bottom rows of U1 and U3 as ovals rotated in aclockwise direction indicated by the dashed arrow). Beamforming at thebase station may include, e.g., an Rx beam sweep from a set of beams(shown, in the top rows of U1 and U2, as ovals rotated in acounter-clockwise direction indicated by the dashed arrow). Procedure U2may be used to enable the base station to adjust its Rx beam when the UEuses a fixed Tx beam. The UE and/or the base station may performprocedure U2 using a smaller set of beams than is used in procedure P1,or using narrower beams than the beams used in procedure P1. This may bereferred to as beam refinement The UE may perform procedure U3 to adjustits Tx beam when the base station uses a fixed Rx beam.

A UE may initiate a beam failure recovery (BFR) procedure based ondetecting a beam failure. The UE may transmit a BFR request (e.g., apreamble, a UCI, an SR, a MAC CE, and/or the like) based on theinitiating of the BFR procedure. The UE may detect the beam failurebased on a determination that a quality of beam pair link(s) of anassociated control channel is unsatisfactory (e.g., having an error ratehigher than an error rate threshold, a received signal power lower thana received signal power threshold, an expiration of a timer, and/or thelike).

The UE may measure a quality of a beam pair link using one or morereference signals (RSs) comprising one or more SS/PBCH blocks, one ormore CSI-RS resources, and/or one or more demodulation reference signals(DMRSs). A quality of the beam pair link may be based on one or more ofa block error rate (BLER), an RSRP value, a signal to interference plusnoise ratio (SINR) value, a reference signal received quality (RSRQ)value, and/or a CSI value measured on RS resources. The base station mayindicate that an RS resource is quasi co-located (QCLed) with one ormore DM-RSs of a channel (e.g., a control channel, a shared datachannel, and/or the like). The RS resource and the one or more DMRSs ofthe channel may be QCLed when the channel characteristics (e.g., Dopplershift, Doppler spread, average delay, delay spread, spatial Rxparameter, fading, and/or the like) from a transmission via the RSresource to the UE are similar or the same as the channelcharacteristics from a transmission via the channel to the UE.

A network (e.g., a gNB and/or an ng-eNB of a network) and/or the UE mayinitiate a random access procedure. A UE in an RRC_IDLE state and/or anRRC_INACTIVE state may initiate the random access procedure to request aconnection setup to a network. The UE may initiate the random accessprocedure from an RRC_CONNECTED state. The UE may initiate the randomaccess procedure to request uplink resources (e.g., for uplinktransmission of an SR when there is no PUCCH resource available) and/oracquire uplink timing (e.g., when uplink synchronization status isnon-synchronized). The UE may initiate the random access procedure torequest one or more system information blocks (SIBs) (e.g., other systeminformation such as SIB2, SIB3, and/or the like). The UE may initiatethe random access procedure for a beam failure recovery request. Anetwork may initiate a random access procedure for a handover and/or forestablishing time alignment for an SCell addition.

FIG. 13A illustrates a four-step contention-based random accessprocedure. Prior to initiation of the procedure, a base station maytransmit a configuration message 1310 to the UE. The procedureillustrated in FIG. 13A comprises transmission of four messages: a Msg 11311, a Msg 2 1312, a Msg 3 1313, and a Msg 4 1314. The Msg 1 1311 mayinclude and/or be referred to as a preamble (or a random accesspreamble). The Msg 2 1312 may include and/or be referred to as a randomaccess response (RAR).

The configuration message 1310 may be transmitted, for example, usingone or more RRC messages. The one or more RRC messages may indicate oneor more random access channel (RACH) parameters to the UE. The one ormore RACH parameters may comprise at least one of following: generalparameters for one or more random access procedures (e.g.,RACH-configGeneral); cell-specific parameters (e.g., RACH-ConfigCommon);and/or dedicated parameters (e.g., RACH-configDedicated). The basestation may broadcast or multicast the one or more RRC messages to oneor more UEs. The one or more RRC messages may be UE-specific (e.g.,dedicated RRC messages transmitted to a UE in an RRC_CONNECTED stateand/or in an RRC_INACTIVE state). The UE may determine, based on the oneor more RACH parameters, a time-frequency resource and/or an uplinktransmit power for transmission of the Msg 1 1311 and/or the Msg 3 1313.Based on the one or more RACH parameters, the UE may determine areception timing and a downlink channel for receiving the Msg 2 1312 andthe Msg 4 1314.

The one or more RACH parameters provided in the configuration message1310 may indicate one or more Physical RACH (PRACH) occasions availablefor transmission of the Msg 1 1311. The one or more PRACH occasions maybe predefined. The one or more RACH parameters may indicate one or moreavailable sets of one or more PRACH occasions (e.g., prach-ConfigIndex).The one or more RACH parameters may indicate an association between (a)one or more PRACH occasions and (b) one or more reference signals. Theone or more RACH parameters may indicate an association between (a) oneor more preambles and (b) one or more reference signals. The one or morereference signals may be SS/PBCH blocks and/or CSI-RSs. For example, theone or more RACH parameters may indicate a number of SS/PBCH blocksmapped to a PRACH occasion and/or a number of preambles mapped to aSS/PBCH blocks.

The one or more RACH parameters provided in the configuration message1310 may be used to determine an uplink transmit power of Msg 1 1311and/or Msg 3 1313. For example, the one or more RACH parameters mayindicate a reference power for a preamble transmission (e.g., a receivedtarget power and/or an initial power of the preamble transmission).There may be one or more power offsets indicated by the one or more RACHparameters. For example, the one or more RACH parameters may indicate: apower ramping step; a power offset between SSB and CSI-RS; a poweroffset between transmissions of the Msg 1 1311 and the Msg 3 1313;and/or a power offset value between preamble groups. The one or moreRACH parameters may indicate one or more thresholds based on which theUE may determine at least one reference signal (e.g., an SSB and/orCSI-RS) and/or an uplink carrier (e.g., a normal uplink (NUL) carrierand/or a supplemental uplink (SUL) carrier).

The Msg 1 1311 may include one or more preamble transmissions (e.g., apreamble transmission and one or more preamble retransmissions). An RRCmessage may be used to configure one or more preamble groups (e.g.,group A and/or group B). A preamble group may comprise one or morepreambles. The UE may determine the preamble group based on a pathlossmeasurement and/or a size of the Msg 3 1313. The UE may measure an RSRPof one or more reference signals (e.g., SSBs and/or CSI-RSs) anddetermine at least one reference signal having an RSRP above an RSRPthreshold (e.g., rsrp-ThresholdSSB and/or rsrp-ThresholdCSI-RS). The UEmay select at least one preamble associated with the one or morereference signals and/or a selected preamble group, for example, if theassociation between the one or more preambles and the at least onereference signal is configured by an RRC message.

The UE may determine the preamble based on the one or more RACHparameters provided in the configuration message 1310. For example, theUE may determine the preamble based on a pathloss measurement, an RSRPmeasurement, and/or a size of the Msg 3 1313. As another example, theone or more RACH parameters may indicate: a preamble format; a maximumnumber of preamble transmissions; and/or one or more thresholds fordetermining one or more preamble groups (e.g., group A and group B). Abase station may use the one or more RACH parameters to configure the UEwith an association between one or more preambles and one or morereference signals (e.g., SSBs and/or CSI-RSs). If the association isconfigured, the UE may determine the preamble to include in Msg 1 1311based on the association. The Msg 1 1311 may be transmitted to the basestation via one or more PRACH occasions. The UE may use one or morereference signals (e.g., SSBs and/or CSI-RSs) for selection of thepreamble and for determining of the PRACH occasion. One or more RACHparameters (e.g., ra-ssb-OccasionMskIndex and/or ra-OccasionList) mayindicate an association between the PRACH occasions and the one or morereference signals.

The UE may perform a preamble retransmission if no response is receivedfollowing a preamble transmission. The UE may increase an uplinktransmit power for the preamble retransmission. The UE may select aninitial preamble transmit power based on a pathloss measurement and/or atarget received preamble power configured by the network. The UE maydetermine to retransmit a preamble and may ramp up the uplink transmitpower. The UE may receive one or more RACH parameters (e.g.,PREAMBLE_POWER_RAMPING_STEP) indicating a ramping step for the preambleretransmission. The ramping step may be an amount of incrementalincrease in uplink transmit power for a retransmission. The UE may rampup the uplink transmit power if the UE determines a reference signal(e.g., SSB and/or CSI-RS) that is the same as a previous preambletransmission. The UE may count a number of preamble transmissions and/orretransmissions (e.g., PREAMBLE_TRANSMISSION_COUNTER). The UE maydetermine that a random access procedure completed unsuccessfully, forexample, if the number of preamble transmissions exceeds a thresholdconfigured by the one or more RACH parameters (e.g., preambleTransMax).

The Msg 2 1312 received by the UE may include an RAR. In some scenarios,the Msg 2 1312 may include multiple RARs corresponding to multiple UEs.The Msg 2 1312 may be received after or in response to the transmittingof the Msg 1 1311. The Msg 2 1312 may be scheduled on the DL-SCH andindicated on a PDCCH using a random access RNTI (RA-RNTI). The Msg 21312 may indicate that the Msg 1 1311 was received by the base station.The Msg 2 1312 may include a time-alignment command that may be used bythe UE to adjust the UE's transmission timing, a scheduling grant fortransmission of the Msg 3 1313, and/or a Temporary Cell RNTI (TC-RNTI).After transmitting a preamble, the UE may start a time window (e.g.,ra-ResponseWindow) to monitor a PDCCH for the Msg 2 1312. The UE maydetermine when to start the time window based on a PRACH occasion thatthe UE uses to transmit the preamble. For example, the UE may start thetime window one or more symbols after a last symbol of the preamble(e.g., at a first PDCCH occasion from an end of a preambletransmission). The one or more symbols may be determined based on anumerology. The PDCCH may be in a common search space (e.g., aType1-PDCCH common search space) configured by an RRC message. The UEmay identify the RAR based on a Radio Network Temporary Identifier(RNTI). RNTIs may be used depending on one or more events initiating therandom access procedure. The UE may use random access RNTI (RA-RNTI).The RA-RNTI may be associated with PRACH occasions in which the UEtransmits a preamble. For example, the UE may determine the RA-RNTIbased on: an OFDM symbol index; a slot index; a frequency domain index;and/or a UL carrier indicator of the PRACH occasions. An example ofRA-RNTI may be as follows:

RA-RNTI=1+s_id+14×t_id+14×80×f_id+14×80×8×ul_carrier_id where s_id maybe an index of a first OFDM symbol of the PRACH occasion (e.g.,0≤s_id<14), t_id may be an index of a first slot of the PRACH occasionin a system frame (e.g., 0≤t_id<80), f_id may be an index of the PRACHoccasion in the frequency domain (e.g., 0≤f_id<8), and ul_carrier_id maybe a UL carrier used for a preamble transmission (e.g., 0 for an NULcarrier, and 1 for an SUL carrier).

The UE may transmit the Msg 3 1313 in response to a successful receptionof the Msg 2 1312 (e.g., using resources identified in the Msg 2 1312).The Msg 3 1313 may be used for contention resolution in, for example,the contention-based random access procedure illustrated in FIG. 13A. Insome scenarios, a plurality of UEs may transmit a same preamble to abase station and the base station may provide an RAR that corresponds toa UE. Collisions may occur if the plurality of UEs interpret the RAR ascorresponding to themselves. Contention resolution (e.g., using the Msg3 1313 and the Msg 4 1314) may be used to increase the likelihood thatthe UE does not incorrectly use an identity of another the UE. Toperform contention resolution, the UE may include a device identifier inthe Msg 3 1313 (e.g., a C-RNTI if assigned, a TC-RNTI included in theMsg 2 1312, and/or any other suitable identifier).

The Msg 4 1314 may be received after or in response to the transmittingof the Msg 3 1313. If a C-RNTI was included in the Msg 3 1313, the basestation will address the UE on the PDCCH using the C-RNTI. If the UE'sunique C-RNTI is detected on the PDCCH, the random access procedure isdetermined to be successfully completed. If a TC-RNTI is included in theMsg 3 1313 (e.g., if the UE is in an RRC_IDLE state or not otherwiseconnected to the base station), Msg 4 1314 will be received using aDL-SCH associated with the TC-RNTI. If a MAC PDU is successfully decodedand a MAC PDU comprises the UE contention resolution identity MAC CEthat matches or otherwise corresponds with the CCCH SDU sent (e.g.,transmitted) in Msg 3 1313, the UE may determine that the contentionresolution is successful and/or the UE may determine that the randomaccess procedure is successfully completed.

The UE may be configured with a supplementary uplink (SUL) carrier and anormal uplink (NUL) carrier. An initial access (e.g., random accessprocedure) may be supported in an uplink carrier. For example, a basestation may configure the UE with two separate RACH configurations: onefor an SUL carrier and the other for an NUL carrier. For random accessin a cell configured with an SUL carrier, the network may indicate whichcarrier to use (NUL or SUL). The UE may determine the SUL carrier, forexample, if a measured quality of one or more reference signals is lowerthan a broadcast threshold. Uplink transmissions of the random accessprocedure (e.g., the Msg 1 1311 and/or the Msg 3 1313) may remain on theselected carrier. The UE may switch an uplink carrier during the randomaccess procedure (e.g., between the Msg 1 1311 and the Msg 3 1313) inone or more cases. For example, the UE may determine and/or switch anuplink carrier for the Msg 1 1311 and/or the Msg 3 1313 based on achannel clear assessment (e.g., a listen-before-talk).

FIG. 13B illustrates a two-step contention-free random access procedure.Similar to the four-step contention-based random access procedureillustrated in FIG. 13A, a base station may, prior to initiation of theprocedure, transmit a configuration message 1320 to the UE. Theconfiguration message 1320 may be analogous in some respects to theconfiguration message 1310. The procedure illustrated in FIG. 13Bcomprises transmission of two messages: a Msg 1 1321 and a Msg 2 1322.The Msg 1 1321 and the Msg 2 1322 may be analogous in some respects tothe Msg 1 1311 and a Msg 2 1312 illustrated in FIG. 13A, respectively.As will be understood from FIGS. 13A and 13B, the contention-free randomaccess procedure may not include messages analogous to the Msg 3 1313and/or the Msg 4 1314.

The contention-free random access procedure illustrated in FIG. 13B maybe initiated for a beam failure recovery, other SI request, SCelladdition, and/or handover. For example, a base station may indicate orassign to the UE the preamble to be used for the Msg 1 1321. The UE mayreceive, from the base station via PDCCH and/or RRC, an indication of apreamble (e.g., ra-PreambleIndex).

After transmitting a preamble, the UE may start a time window (e.g.,ra-ResponseWindow) to monitor a PDCCH for the RAR. In the event of abeam failure recovery request, the base station may configure the UEwith a separate time window and/or a separate PDCCH in a search spaceindicated by an RRC message (e.g., recoverySearchSpaceId). The UE maymonitor for a PDCCH transmission addressed to a Cell RNTI (C-RNTI) onthe search space. In the contention-free random access procedureillustrated in FIG. 13B, the UE may determine that a random accessprocedure successfully completes after or in response to transmission ofMsg 1 1321 and reception of a corresponding Msg 2 1322. The UE maydetermine that a random access procedure successfully completes, forexample, if a PDCCH transmission is addressed to a C-RNTI. The UE maydetermine that a random access procedure successfully completes, forexample, if the UE receives an RAR comprising a preamble identifiercorresponding to a preamble transmitted by the UE and/or the RARcomprises a MAC sub-PDU with the preamble identifier. The UE maydetermine the response as an indication of an acknowledgement for an SIrequest.

FIG. 13C illustrates another two-step random access procedure. Similarto the random access procedures illustrated in FIGS. 13A and 13B, a basestation may, prior to initiation of the procedure, transmit aconfiguration message 1330 to the UE. The configuration message 1330 maybe analogous in some respects to the configuration message 1310 and/orthe configuration message 1320. The procedure illustrated in FIG. 13Ccomprises transmission of two messages: a Msg A 1331 and a Msg B 1332.

Msg A 1331 may be transmitted in an uplink transmission by the UE. Msg A1331 may comprise one or more transmissions of a preamble 1341 and/orone or more transmissions of a transport block 1342. The transport block1342 may comprise contents that are similar and/or equivalent to thecontents of the Msg 3 1313 illustrated in FIG. 13A. The transport block1342 may comprise UCI (e.g., an SR, a HARQ ACK/NACK, and/or the like).The UE may receive the Msg B 1332 after or in response to transmittingthe Msg A 1331. The Msg B 1332 may comprise contents that are similarand/or equivalent to the contents of the Msg 2 1312 (e.g., an RAR)illustrated in FIGS. 13A and 13B and/or the Msg 4 1314 illustrated inFIG. 13A.

The UE may initiate the two-step random access procedure in FIG. 13C forlicensed spectrum and/or unlicensed spectrum. The UE may determine,based on one or more factors, whether to initiate the two-step randomaccess procedure. The one or more factors may be: a radio accesstechnology in use (e.g., LTE, NR, and/or the like); whether the UE hasvalid TA or not; a cell size; the UE's RRC state; a type of spectrum(e.g., licensed vs. unlicensed); and/or any other suitable factors.

The UE may determine, based on two-step RACH parameters included in theconfiguration message 1330, a radio resource and/or an uplink transmitpower for the preamble 1341 and/or the transport block 1342 included inthe Msg A 1331. The RACH parameters may indicate a modulation and codingschemes (MCS), a time-frequency resource, and/or a power control for thepreamble 1341 and/or the transport block 1342. A time-frequency resourcefor transmission of the preamble 1341 (e.g., a PRACH) and atime-frequency resource for transmission of the transport block 1342(e.g., a PUSCH) may be multiplexed using FDM, TDM, and/or CDM. The RACHparameters may enable the UE to determine a reception timing and adownlink channel for monitoring for and/or receiving Msg B 1332.

The transport block 1342 may comprise data (e.g., delay-sensitive data),an identifier of the UE, security information, and/or device information(e.g., an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI)). The basestation may transmit the Msg B 1332 as a response to the Msg A 1331. TheMsg B 1332 may comprise at least one of following: a preambleidentifier; a timing advance command; a power control command; an uplinkgrant (e.g., a radio resource assignment and/or an MCS); a UE identifierfor contention resolution; and/or an RNTI (e.g., a C-RNTI or a TC-RNTI).The UE may determine that the two-step random access procedure issuccessfully completed if: a preamble identifier in the Msg B 1332 ismatched to a preamble transmitted by the UE; and/or the identifier ofthe UE in Msg B 1332 is matched to the identifier of the UE in the Msg A1331 (e.g., the transport block 1342).

A UE and a base station may exchange control signaling. The controlsignaling may be referred to as L1/L2 control signaling and mayoriginate from the PHY layer (e.g., layer 1) and/or the MAC layer (e.g.,layer 2). The control signaling may comprise downlink control signalingtransmitted from the base station to the UE and/or uplink controlsignaling transmitted from the UE to the base station.

The downlink control signaling may comprise: a downlink schedulingassignment; an uplink scheduling grant indicating uplink radio resourcesand/or a transport format; a slot format information; a preemptionindication; a power control command; and/or any other suitablesignaling. The UE may receive the downlink control signaling in apayload transmitted by the base station on a physical downlink controlchannel (PDCCH). The payload transmitted on the PDCCH may be referred toas downlink control information (DCI). In some scenarios, the PDCCH maybe a group common PDCCH (GC-PDCCH) that is common to a group of UEs.

A base station may attach one or more cyclic redundancy check (CRC)parity bits to a DCI in order to facilitate detection of transmissionerrors. When the DCI is intended for a UE (or a group of the UEs), thebase station may scramble the CRC parity bits with an identifier of theUE (or an identifier of the group of the UEs). Scrambling the CRC paritybits with the identifier may comprise Modulo-2 addition (or an exclusiveOR operation) of the identifier value and the CRC parity bits. Theidentifier may comprise a 16-bit value of a radio network temporaryidentifier (RNTI).

DCIs may be used for different purposes. A purpose may be indicated bythe type of RNTI used to scramble the CRC parity bits. For example, aDCI having CRC parity bits scrambled with a paging RNTI (P-RNTI) mayindicate paging information and/or a system information changenotification. The P-RNTI may be predefined as “FFFE” in hexadecimal. ADCI having CRC parity bits scrambled with a system information RNTI(SI-RNTI) may indicate a broadcast transmission of the systeminformation. The SI-RNTI may be predefined as “FFFF” in hexadecimal. ADCI having CRC parity bits scrambled with a random access RNTI (RA-RNTI)may indicate a random access response (RAR). A DCI having CRC paritybits scrambled with a cell RNTI (C-RNTI) may indicate a dynamicallyscheduled unicast transmission and/or a triggering of PDCCH-orderedrandom access. A DCI having CRC parity bits scrambled with a temporarycell RNTI (TC-RNTI) may indicate a contention resolution (e.g., a Msg 3analogous to the Msg 3 1313 illustrated in FIG. 13A). Other RNTIsconfigured to the UE by a base station may comprise a ConfiguredScheduling RNTI (CS-RNTI), a Transmit Power Control-PUCCH RNTI(TPC-PUCCH-RNTI), a Transmit Power Control-PUSCH RNTI (TPC-PUSCH-RNTI),a Transmit Power Control-SRS RNTI (TPC-SRS-RNTI), an Interruption RNTI(INT-RNTI), a Slot Format Indication RNTI (SFI-RNTI), a Semi-PersistentCSI RNTI (SP-CSI-RNTI), a Modulation and Coding Scheme Cell RNTI(MCS-C-RNTI), and/or the like.

Depending on the purpose and/or content of a DCI, the base station maytransmit the DCIs with one or more DCI formats. For example, DCI format0_0 may be used for scheduling of PUSCH in a cell. DCI format 0_0 may bea fallback DCI format (e.g., with compact DCI payloads). DCI format 0_1may be used for scheduling of PUSCH in a cell (e.g., with more DCIpayloads than DCI format 0_0). DCI format 1_0 may be used for schedulingof PDSCH in a cell. DCI format 1_0 may be a fallback DCI format (e.g.,with compact DCI payloads). DCI format 1_1 may be used for scheduling ofPDSCH in a cell (e.g., with more DCI payloads than DCI format 1_0). DCIformat 2_0 may be used for providing a slot format indication to a groupof UEs. DCI format 2_1 may be used for notifying a group of UEs of aphysical resource block and/or OFDM symbol where the UE may assume notransmission is intended to the UE. DCI format 2_2 may be used fortransmission of a transmit power control (TPC) command for PUCCH orPUSCH. DCI format 2_3 may be used for transmission of a group of TPCcommands for SRS transmissions by one or more UEs. DCI format(s) for newfunctions may be defined in future releases. DCI formats may havedifferent DCI sizes, or may share the same DCI size.

After scrambling a DCI with a RNTI, the base station may process the DCIwith channel coding (e.g., polar coding), rate matching, scramblingand/or QPSK modulation. A base station may map the coded and modulatedDCI on resource elements used and/or configured for a PDCCH. Based on apayload size of the DCI and/or a coverage of the base station, the basestation may transmit the DCI via a PDCCH occupying a number ofcontiguous control channel elements (CCEs). The number of the contiguousCCEs (referred to as aggregation level) may be 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, and/orany other suitable number. A CCE may comprise a number (e.g., 6) ofresource-element groups (REGs). A REG may comprise a resource block inan OFDM symbol. The mapping of the coded and modulated DCI on theresource elements may be based on mapping of CCEs and REGs (e.g.,CCE-to-REG mapping).

FIG. 14A illustrates an example of CORESET configurations for abandwidth part. The base station may transmit a DCI via a PDCCH on oneor more control resource sets (CORESETs). A CORESET may comprise atime-frequency resource in which the UE tries to decode a DCI using oneor more search spaces. The base station may configure a CORESET in thetime-frequency domain. In the example of FIG. 14A, a first CORESET 1401and a second CORESET 1402 occur at the first symbol in a slot. The firstCORESET 1401 overlaps with the second CORESET 1402 in the frequencydomain. A third CORESET 1403 occurs at a third symbol in the slot. Afourth CORESET 1404 occurs at the seventh symbol in the slot. CORESETsmay have a different number of resource blocks in frequency domain.

FIG. 14B illustrates an example of a CCE-to-REG mapping for DCItransmission on a CORESET and PDCCH processing. The CCE-to-REG mappingmay be an interleaved mapping (e.g., for the purpose of providingfrequency diversity) or a non-interleaved mapping (e.g., for thepurposes of facilitating interference coordination and/orfrequency-selective transmission of control channels). The base stationmay perform different or same CCE-to-REG mapping on different CORESETs.A CORESET may be associated with a CCE-to-REG mapping by RRCconfiguration. A CORESET may be configured with an antenna port quasico-location (QCL) parameter. The antenna port QCL parameter may indicateQCL information of a demodulation reference signal (DMRS) for PDCCHreception in the CORESET.

The base station may transmit, to the UE, RRC messages comprisingconfiguration parameters of one or more CORESETs and one or more searchspace sets. The configuration parameters may indicate an associationbetween a search space set and a CORESET. A search space set maycomprise a set of PDCCH candidates formed by CCEs at a given aggregationlevel. The configuration parameters may indicate: a number of PDCCHcandidates to be monitored per aggregation level; a PDCCH monitoringperiodicity and a PDCCH monitoring pattern; one or more DCI formats tobe monitored by the UE; and/or whether a search space set is a commonsearch space set or a UE-specific search space set. A set of CCEs in thecommon search space set may be predefined and known to the UE. A set ofCCEs in the UE-specific search space set may be configured based on theUE's identity (e.g., C-RNTI).

As shown in FIG. 14B, the UE may determine a time-frequency resource fora CORESET based on RRC messages. The UE may determine a CCE-to-REGmapping (e.g., interleaved or non-interleaved, and/or mappingparameters) for the CORESET based on configuration parameters of theCORESET. The UE may determine a number (e.g., at most 10) of searchspace sets configured on the CORESET based on the RRC messages. The UEmay monitor a set of PDCCH candidates according to configurationparameters of a search space set. The UE may monitor a set of PDCCHcandidates in one or more CORESETs for detecting one or more DCIs.Monitoring may comprise decoding one or more PDCCH candidates of the setof the PDCCH candidates according to the monitored DCI formats.Monitoring may comprise decoding a DCI content of one or more PDCCHcandidates with possible (or configured) PDCCH locations, possible (orconfigured) PDCCH formats (e.g., number of CCEs, number of PDCCHcandidates in common search spaces, and/or number of PDCCH candidates inthe UE-specific search spaces) and possible (or configured) DCI formats.The decoding may be referred to as blind decoding. The UE may determinea DCI as valid for the UE, in response to CRC checking (e.g., scrambledbits for CRC parity bits of the DCI matching a RNTI value). The UE mayprocess information contained in the DCI (e.g., a scheduling assignment,an uplink grant, power control, a slot format indication, a downlinkpreemption, and/or the like).

The UE may transmit uplink control signaling (e.g., uplink controlinformation (UCI)) to a base station. The uplink control signaling maycomprise hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) acknowledgements forreceived DL-SCH transport blocks. The UE may transmit the HARQacknowledgements after receiving a DL-SCH transport block. Uplinkcontrol signaling may comprise channel state information (CSI)indicating channel quality of a physical downlink channel. The UE maytransmit the CSI to the base station. The base station, based on thereceived CSI, may determine transmission format parameters (e.g.,comprising multi-antenna and beamforming schemes) for a downlinktransmission. Uplink control signaling may comprise scheduling requests(SR). The UE may transmit an SR indicating that uplink data is availablefor transmission to the base station. The UE may transmit a UCI (e.g.,HARQ acknowledgements (HARQ-ACK), CSI report, SR, and the like) via aphysical uplink control channel (PUCCH) or a physical uplink sharedchannel (PUSCH). The UE may transmit the uplink control signaling via aPUCCH using one of several PUCCH formats.

There may be five PUCCH formats and the UE may determine a PUCCH formatbased on a size of the UCI (e.g., a number of uplink symbols of UCItransmission and a number of UCI bits). PUCCH format 0 may have a lengthof one or two OFDM symbols and may include two or fewer bits. The UE maytransmit UCI in a PUCCH resource using PUCCH format 0 if thetransmission is over one or two symbols and the number of HARQ-ACKinformation bits with positive or negative SR (HARQ-ACK/SR bits) is oneor two. PUCCH format 1 may occupy a number between four and fourteenOFDM symbols and may include two or fewer bits. The UE may use PUCCHformat 1 if the transmission is four or more symbols and the number ofHARQ-ACK/SR bits is one or two. PUCCH format 2 may occupy one or twoOFDM symbols and may include more than two bits. The UE may use PUCCHformat 2 if the transmission is over one or two symbols and the numberof UCI bits is two or more. PUCCH format 3 may occupy a number betweenfour and fourteen OFDM symbols and may include more than two bits. TheUE may use PUCCH format 3 if the transmission is four or more symbols,the number of UCI bits is two or more and PUCCH resource does notinclude an orthogonal cover code. PUCCH format 4 may occupy a numberbetween four and fourteen OFDM symbols and may include more than twobits. The UE may use PUCCH format 4 if the transmission is four or moresymbols, the number of UCI bits is two or more and the PUCCH resourceincludes an orthogonal cover code.

The base station may transmit configuration parameters to the UE for aplurality of PUCCH resource sets using, for example, an RRC message. Theplurality of PUCCH resource sets (e.g., up to four sets) may beconfigured on an uplink BWP of a cell. A PUCCH resource set may beconfigured with a PUCCH resource set index, a plurality of PUCCHresources with a PUCCH resource being identified by a PUCCH resourceidentifier (e.g., pucch-Resourceid), and/or a number (e.g. a maximumnumber) of UCI information bits the UE may transmit using one of theplurality of PUCCH resources in the PUCCH resource set. When configuredwith a plurality of PUCCH resource sets, the UE may select one of theplurality of PUCCH resource sets based on a total bit length of the UCIinformation bits (e.g., HARQ-ACK, SR, and/or CSI). If the total bitlength of UCI information bits is two or fewer, the UE may select afirst PUCCH resource set having a PUCCH resource set index equal to “0”.If the total bit length of UCI information bits is greater than two andless than or equal to a first configured value, the UE may select asecond PUCCH resource set having a PUCCH resource set index equal to“1”. If the total bit length of UCI information bits is greater than thefirst configured value and less than or equal to a second configuredvalue, the UE may select a third PUCCH resource set having a PUCCHresource set index equal to “2”. If the total bit length of UCIinformation bits is greater than the second configured value and lessthan or equal to a third value (e.g., 1406), the UE may select a fourthPUCCH resource set having a PUCCH resource set index equal to “3”.

After determining a PUCCH resource set from a plurality of PUCCHresource sets, the UE may determine a PUCCH resource from the PUCCHresource set for UCI (HARQ-ACK, CSI, and/or SR) transmission. The UE maydetermine the PUCCH resource based on a PUCCH resource indicator in aDCI (e.g., with a DCI format 1_0 or DCI for 1_1) received on a PDCCH. Athree-bit PUCCH resource indicator in the DCI may indicate one of eightPUCCH resources in the PUCCH resource set. Based on the PUCCH resourceindicator, the UE may transmit the UCI (HARQ-ACK, CSI and/or SR) using aPUCCH resource indicated by the PUCCH resource indicator in the DCI.

FIG. 15 illustrates an example of a wireless device 1502 incommunication with a base station 1504 in accordance with embodiments ofthe present disclosure. The wireless device 1502 and base station 1504may be part of a mobile communication network, such as the mobilecommunication network 100 illustrated in FIG. 1A, the mobilecommunication network 150 illustrated in FIG. 1B, or any othercommunication network. Only one wireless device 1502 and one basestation 1504 are illustrated in FIG. 15 , but it will be understood thata mobile communication network may include more than one UE and/or morethan one base station, with the same or similar configuration as thoseshown in FIG. 15 .

The base station 1504 may connect the wireless device 1502 to a corenetwork (not shown) through radio communications over the air interface(or radio interface) 1506. The communication direction from the basestation 1504 to the wireless device 1502 over the air interface 1506 isknown as the downlink, and the communication direction from the wirelessdevice 1502 to the base station 1504 over the air interface is known asthe uplink. Downlink transmissions may be separated from uplinktransmissions using FDD, TDD, and/or some combination of the twoduplexing techniques.

In the downlink, data to be sent to the wireless device 1502 from thebase station 1504 may be provided to the processing system 1508 of thebase station 1504. The data may be provided to the processing system1508 by, for example, a core network. In the uplink, data to be sent tothe base station 1504 from the wireless device 1502 may be provided tothe processing system 1518 of the wireless device 1502. The processingsystem 1508 and the processing system 1518 may implement layer 3 andlayer 2 OSI functionality to process the data for transmission. Layer 2may include an SDAP layer, a PDCP layer, an RLC layer, and a MAC layer,for example, with respect to FIG. 2A, FIG. 2B, FIG. 3 , and FIG. 4A.Layer 3 may include an RRC layer as with respect to FIG. 2B.

After being processed by processing system 1508, the data to be sent tothe wireless device 1502 may be provided to a transmission processingsystem 1510 of base station 1504. Similarly, after being processed bythe processing system 1518, the data to be sent to base station 1504 maybe provided to a transmission processing system 1520 of the wirelessdevice 1502. The transmission processing system 1510 and thetransmission processing system 1520 may implement layer 1 OSIfunctionality. Layer 1 may include a PHY layer with respect to FIG. 2A,FIG. 2B, FIG. 3 , and FIG. 4A. For transmit processing, the PHY layermay perform, for example, forward error correction coding of transportchannels, interleaving, rate matching, mapping of transport channels tophysical channels, modulation of physical channel, multiple-inputmultiple-output (MIMO) or multi-antenna processing, and/or the like.

At the base station 1504, a reception processing system 1512 may receivethe uplink transmission from the wireless device 1502. At the wirelessdevice 1502, a reception processing system 1522 may receive the downlinktransmission from base station 1504. The reception processing system1512 and the reception processing system 1522 may implement layer 1 OSIfunctionality. Layer 1 may include a PHY layer with respect to FIG. 2A,FIG. 2B, FIG. 3 , and FIG. 4A. For receive processing, the PHY layer mayperform, for example, error detection, forward error correctiondecoding, deinterleaving, demapping of transport channels to physicalchannels, demodulation of physical channels, MIMO or multi-antennaprocessing, and/or the like.

As shown in FIG. 15 , a wireless device 1502 and the base station 1504may include multiple antennas. The multiple antennas may be used toperform one or more MIMO or multi-antenna techniques, such as spatialmultiplexing (e.g., single-user MIMO or multi-user MIMO),transmit/receive diversity, and/or beamforming. In other examples, thewireless device 1502 and/or the base station 1504 may have a singleantenna.

The processing system 1508 and the processing system 1518 may beassociated with a memory 1514 and a memory 1524, respectively. Memory1514 and memory 1524 (e.g., one or more non-transitory computer readablemediums) may store computer program instructions or code that may beexecuted by the processing system 1508 and/or the processing system 1518to carry out one or more of the functionalities discussed in the presentapplication. Although not shown in FIG. 15 , the transmission processingsystem 1510, the transmission processing system 1520, the receptionprocessing system 1512, and/or the reception processing system 1522 maybe coupled to a memory (e.g., one or more non-transitory computerreadable mediums) storing computer program instructions or code that maybe executed to carry out one or more of their respectivefunctionalities.

The processing system 1508 and/or the processing system 1518 maycomprise one or more controllers and/or one or more processors. The oneor more controllers and/or one or more processors may comprise, forexample, a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP),a microcontroller, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), afield programmable gate array (FPGA) and/or other programmable logicdevice, discrete gate and/or transistor logic, discrete hardwarecomponents, an on-board unit, or any combination thereof. The processingsystem 1508 and/or the processing system 1518 may perform at least oneof signal coding/processing, data processing, power control,input/output processing, and/or any other functionality that may enablethe wireless device 1502 and the base station 1504 to operate in awireless environment.

The processing system 1508 and/or the processing system 1518 may beconnected to one or more peripherals 1516 and one or more peripherals1526, respectively. The one or more peripherals 1516 and the one or moreperipherals 1526 may include software and/or hardware that providefeatures and/or functionalities, for example, a speaker, a microphone, akeypad, a display, a touchpad, a power source, a satellite transceiver,a universal serial bus (USB) port, a hands-free headset, a frequencymodulated (FM) radio unit, a media player, an Internet browser, anelectronic control unit (e.g., for a motor vehicle), and/or one or moresensors (e.g., an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a temperature sensor, aradar sensor, a lidar sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, a light sensor, acamera, and/or the like). The processing system 1508 and/or theprocessing system 1518 may receive user input data from and/or provideuser output data to the one or more peripherals 1516 and/or the one ormore peripherals 1526. The processing system 1518 in the wireless device1502 may receive power from a power source and/or may be configured todistribute the power to the other components in the wireless device1502. The power source may comprise one or more sources of power, forexample, a battery, a solar cell, a fuel cell, or any combinationthereof. The processing system 1508 and/or the processing system 1518may be connected to a GPS chipset 1517 and a GPS chipset 1527,respectively. The GPS chipset 1517 and the GPS chipset 1527 may beconfigured to provide geographic location information of the wirelessdevice 1502 and the base station 1504, respectively.

FIG. 16A illustrates an example structure for uplink transmission. Abaseband signal representing a physical uplink shared channel mayperform one or more functions. The one or more functions may comprise atleast one of: scrambling; modulation of scrambled bits to generatecomplex-valued symbols; mapping of the complex-valued modulation symbolsonto one or several transmission layers; transform precoding to generatecomplex-valued symbols; precoding of the complex-valued symbols; mappingof precoded complex-valued symbols to resource elements; generation ofcomplex-valued time-domain Single Carrier-Frequency Division MultipleAccess (SC-FDMA) or CP-OFDM signal for an antenna port; and/or the like.In an example, when transform precoding is enabled, a SC-FDMA signal foruplink transmission may be generated. In an example, when transformprecoding is not enabled, an CP-OFDM signal for uplink transmission maybe generated by FIG. 16A. These functions are illustrated as examplesand it is anticipated that other mechanisms may be implemented invarious embodiments.

FIG. 16B illustrates an example structure for modulation andup-conversion of a baseband signal to a carrier frequency. The basebandsignal may be a complex-valued SC-FDMA or CP-OFDM baseband signal for anantenna port and/or a complex-valued Physical Random Access Channel(PRACH) baseband signal. Filtering may be employed prior totransmission.

FIG. 16C illustrates an example structure for downlink transmissions. Abaseband signal representing a physical downlink channel may perform oneor more functions. The one or more functions may comprise: scrambling ofcoded bits in a codeword to be transmitted on a physical channel;modulation of scrambled bits to generate complex-valued modulationsymbols; mapping of the complex-valued modulation symbols onto one orseveral transmission layers; precoding of the complex-valued modulationsymbols on a layer for transmission on the antenna ports; mapping ofcomplex-valued modulation symbols for an antenna port to resourceelements; generation of complex-valued time-domain OFDM signal for anantenna port; and/or the like. These functions are illustrated asexamples and it is anticipated that other mechanisms may be implementedin various embodiments.

FIG. 16D illustrates another example structure for modulation andup-conversion of a baseband signal to a carrier frequency. The basebandsignal may be a complex-valued OFDM baseband signal for an antenna port.Filtering may be employed prior to transmission.

A wireless device may receive from a base station one or more messages(e.g. RRC messages) comprising configuration parameters of a pluralityof cells (e.g. primary cell, secondary cell). The wireless device maycommunicate with at least one base station (e.g. two or more basestations in dual-connectivity) via the plurality of cells. The one ormore messages (e.g. as a part of the configuration parameters) maycomprise parameters of physical, MAC, RLC, PCDP, SDAP, RRC layers forconfiguring the wireless device. For example, the configurationparameters may comprise parameters for configuring physical and MAClayer channels, bearers, etc. For example, the configuration parametersmay comprise parameters indicating values of timers for physical, MAC,RLC, PCDP, SDAP, RRC layers, and/or communication channels.

A timer may begin running once it is started and continue running untilit is stopped or until it expires. A timer may be started if it is notrunning or restarted if it is running. A timer may be associated with avalue (e.g. the timer may be started or restarted from a value or may bestarted from zero and expire once it reaches the value). The duration ofa timer may not be updated until the timer is stopped or expires (e.g.,due to BWP switching). A timer may be used to measure a timeperiod/window for a process. When the specification refers to animplementation and procedure related to one or more timers, it will beunderstood that there are multiple ways to implement the one or moretimers. For example, it will be understood that one or more of themultiple ways to implement a timer may be used to measure a timeperiod/window for the procedure. For example, a random access responsewindow timer may be used for measuring a window of time for receiving arandom access response. In an example, instead of starting and expiry ofa random access response window timer, the time difference between twotime stamps may be used. When a timer is restarted, a process formeasurement of time window may be restarted. Other exampleimplementations may be provided to restart a measurement of a timewindow.

A wireless device may use an asymmetric uplink downlink service, whichhas different quality-of-service (QoS) requirements in the uplink anddownlink directions. In an example, a cloud gaming scenario may needlow-latency and high-reliability uplink packet transmission for controlsignaling (e.g., URLLC: ultra-reliable and low-latency communication)and may need high-bandwidth but less-reliable downlink packettransmission for audio and video streaming (e.g., eMBB: enhanced mobilebroadband). In existing technologies, packet duplication per sessionbetween a wireless device and a core network node may be configured toenhance packet transmission reliability. When a wireless device uses anasymmetric uplink downlink service, duplicating both uplink and downlinkpackets for a session may decrease resource utilization efficiency atleast for one of the uplink or downlink that needs less-reliable packettransmission compared to the other.

Example embodiments may provide selective packet duplication for one ofuplink or downlink transmission based on QoS requirements of the uplinkor downlink transmission of a session. In an example embodiment, awireless device may be configured with a session for an asymmetricuplink downlink service and a duplicate session for one of uplink ordownlink transmission of the session. Example embodiments may increaseresource utilization efficiency and packet transmission capacity forcommunication between a wireless device and a core network node.

For cloud gaming (e.g., interactive services), rendering may beperformed on the network side, which means sensor/pose data may betransmitted to the network side in the uplink direction and rendereddata may be transmitted to the UE side in the downlink direction. In theuplink direction, the sensor/pose data may require treatment within thenetwork system such that the sensor/pose data is transmitted with lowlatency and high reliability (e.g., 10E-4). In the downlink direction,the rendered data (e.g., audio & video) may require treatment such thatthe rendered data is transmitted with low latency and potentially highbandwidth (e.g., 100 Mbps or more). The reliability in the downlinkdirection may be less stringent than the uplink direction (e.g., 10E-3).Regarding potential data rates, a network may need to support up to 120frames-per-second (FPS) and 4K-8K resolution. Cloud gaming services mayhave characteristics of real-time interaction with low latencyrequirements, and the required reliability for uplink sensor/pose dataand downlink rendered audio/video traffic may be asymmetric. Bufferingpackets which exceeds the delay budget may be not meaningful for cloudgaming. Meanwhile, to support interactive cloud gaming services, thetotal delay including both uplink and downlink transmission times withina 5G system in two directions may need to be less than a threshold(e.g., 5 ms). Due to the asymmetric service requirements for uplink anddownlink, the latency for uplink and downlink may not be equal orstatic. Existing QoS mechanisms (e.g., QCI, 5QI, etc.) may not meet therequirements for the asymmetric services.

In addition to clouding gaming services, which may require suchinteractive and asymmetric service provisioning, in unmanned aerialsystem (UAS) and/or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), the uplink trafficmay require eMBB treatment and the downlink traffic may require URLLCtreatment, which is opposite to cloud gaming. To support interactiveservices (e.g., UAS, cloud gaming, VR, AR, XR, etc.), the wirelessnetwork may need to be enhanced to support the interactive services withdifferent key performance indicator (KPI) requirements in the uplink anddownlink directions. Wireless networks may need latency enhancement foruplink transmission from UE to UPF and downlink transmission from UPF toUE. Wireless networks may need reliability enhancement for uplinksensor/pose data and downlink pre-rendered/rendered audio/visual data.Wireless networks may need to support high data rate in the downlinkdirection to support KPIs including FPS and/or resolution.

In an example, as shown in FIG. 21 , a packet duplication of a sessionis distinguished from a PDCP packet duplication. In a PDCP packetduplication, duplicated packets (e.g., both original packets andduplication of original packets) may be communicated in lower layers(e.g., RLC layer, MAC layer, PHY layer, etc.) of a base station, and awireless device and may not be communicated in upper layers (e.g., SDAPlayer, etc.) of a base station and a wireless device. For a PDCP packetduplication, when a PDCP layer receives packets of a bearer from anupper layer, the PDCP layer may duplicate the packets of the bearer andtransmit, to a lower layer, the duplication of the packets and theoriginal packets via separate bearers and/or logical channels (e.g., theoriginal packets via a first bearer or a first logical channel; and theduplication of the packets via a second bearer or a second logicalchannel). For a PDCP packet duplication, when a PDCP layer receivesduplication of packets and original packets from a lower layer, the PDCPlayer may discard one of the duplication of packets or the originalpackets, and transmit the remaining packets (e.g., the original packetsor the duplication of packets) to an upper layer.

In an example, in a session duplication (e.g., packet duplication of asession), duplicated packets (e.g., both original packets andduplication of original packets) may be communicated between a UPF and awireless device. For a session duplication, when a UPF receives downlinkpackets associated with a session, the UPF may duplicate the downlinkpackets, and transmit, to a wireless device (e.g., via one or more UPFsand/or one or more gNBs), the duplication of the downlink packets andthe original downlink packets via separate sessions (e.g., the originaldownlink packets via a first session; and the duplication of thedownlink packets via a second session). For a session duplication, whena UPF receives uplink packets and duplication of the uplink packets froma wireless device (e.g., via one or more UPFs and/or one or more gNBs),the UPF may discard one of the duplication of uplink packets or theoriginal uplink packets, and transmit the remaining uplink packets(e.g., the original uplink packets or the duplication of uplink packets)to a data network (e.g., another network).

In an example, as shown in FIG. 22 and/or FIG. 23 , a first base station(e.g., gNB1, gNB, eNB, RNC, access node, RAN node, etc.) may serve awireless device (e.g., UE, mobile terminal, remote-controlled device,remote controller, sensor device, etc.). An RRC connection may beestablished between the wireless device and the first wireless device.The first base station may have a control plane connection (e.g., N2interface, S1 control plane interface, etc.) with an AMF and/or an SMF(e.g., or MME). The first base station may have a user plane connection(e.g., N3 interface, S1 user plane interface, etc.) with a UPF (e.g., orserving gateway and/or PDN gateway). The UPF may be a PDU session anchor(PSA) UPF. The first base station may be connected to the UPF via one ormore intermediate UPFs.

In an example, the first base station may be connected to a second basestation (e.g., gNB2, gNB, eNB, RNC, access node, RAN node, etc.) via adirect interface and/or an indirect interface. The direct interface maycomprise at least one of an Xn interface, X2 interface, and/or the like.The indirect interface may comprise at least one of one or more N2interfaces, one or more S1 interfaces, one or more core network nodes(e.g., one or more AMFs and/or one or more MMEs), and/or the like. Thefirst base station may be a master base station providing a master cellgroup for the wireless device. The second base station may be asecondary base station providing a secondary cell group for the wirelessdevice.

In an example, as shown in FIG. 24 and/or FIG. 25 , the SMF may receive,from a first network function (e.g., PCF, application function, NRF,second SMF, etc.) and/or the wireless device, QoS requirementinformation of a first session and/or of a service associated with thefirst session. The QoS requirement information of the service mayindicate that the one of the uplink or downlink packets of the firstsession need at least one of: an ultra-reliable transmission and/or alow-latency transmission. The SMF may determine, based on the QoSrequirement information, the duplication of one of uplink or downlinkpackets of the first session. In an example, the SMF may send, to theUPF, a session configuration request indicating that the second sessionis for transmitting the duplication of one of uplink or downlink packetsof the first session. The SMF may receive, from the UPF, a sessionconfiguration request acknowledge indicating configuration of the firstsession and the second session. The session configuration requestacknowledge may comprise at least one of: a first uplink tunnel endpointidentifier for the first session; and/or a second uplink tunnel endpointidentifier for the second session.

In an example, the first base station may receive, from the SMF via theAMF, a packet data unit (PDU) session configuration request. The PDUsession configuration request may indicate that the second session isfor transmitting the duplication of one of uplink or downlink packets ofthe first session. The first base station may send, to the SMF, a PDUsession configuration request acknowledge in response to receiving thePDU session configuration request. The PDU session configuration requestacknowledge may comprise at least one of: a first downlink tunnelendpoint identifier for the first session; and/or a second downlinktunnel endpoint identifier for the second session.

In an example, the wireless device may receive, from the first basestation, at least one radio resource control (RRC) configurationmessage. The at least one RRC configuration message may compriseconfiguration parameters of at least one first bearer of the firstsession and/or at least one second bearer of the second session. The atleast one RRC configuration message may be based on the PDU sessionconfiguration request that the first base station received from the SMF.The at least one RRC configuration message may comprise non-accessstratum (NAS) information. The NAS information may indicate that thesecond session is for transmitting a duplication of one of uplink ordownlink packets of the first session. The wireless device maycommunicate the uplink packets and the downlink packets via the at leastone first bearer of the first session. The at least one RRCconfiguration message may be based on the PDU session configurationrequest that the SMF sends to the first base station. Based on the NASinformation, the wireless device may perform one of: transmitting theduplication of the uplink packets of the first session via the at leastone second bearer of the second session; or receiving the duplication ofthe downlink packets of the first session via the at least one secondbearer of the second session.

In an example, the SMF may receive, from the first network function(e.g., PCF, application function, NRF, second SMF, etc.) and/or thewireless device, quality-of-service (QoS) requirement information of afirst session and/or of a service for the wireless device. The servicemay be associated with the first session. In an example, the SMF mayreceive the QoS requirement information of the first session and/or theservice directly or indirectly from the first network function. Thefirst network function may be at least one of: a policy control function(PCF), an application function (AF), a network repository function(NRF), a second SMF (e.g., during an SMF relocation procedure for thewireless device), an operation and management (OAM) function, and/or thelike.

In an example, the SMF may receive, from the wireless device, sessionestablishment request for the first session. The session establishmentrequest may indicate that one of uplink or downlink packets of the firstsession need at least one of: an ultra-reliable transmission; and/or alow latency transmission. The session establishment request may comprisethe QoS requirement information of the first session and/or of theservice for the wireless device. The session establishment request mayindicate that the first session needs duplication of the one of uplinkor downlink packets of the first session. The SMF may determine, basedon the session establishment request, the duplication of the one ofuplink or downlink packets of the first session.

In an example, the SMF may receive the QoS requirement information ofthe first session and/or the service directly or indirectly from thewireless device (e.g., via a PDU session establishment/modificationrequest, a PDU session create/update SM context request, etc.) during aPDU session establishment procedure and/or a PDU session modificationprocedure. The PDU session establishment/modification request may betransmitted from the wireless device via an N1 SM container of a NASmessage (e.g., comprising S-NSSAI(s), DNN, PDU Session ID, Request type(e.g., initial request; existing PDU session), and/or Old PDU Session IDof the first session and/or the service). The PDU sessionestablishment/modification request may comprise at least one of: a PDUsession ID, a requested PDU session type, a Requested SSC mode, a 5GSMcapability, PCO, SM PDU DN Request Container, number of packet filters,a header compression configuration, UE integrity protection maximum datarate, always-on PDU session requested, and/or the like. The PDU sessioncreate/update SM context request (e.g., transmitted from the AMF to theSMF) may comprise, for the first session and/or the service, at leastone of: SUPI, DNN, S-NSSAI(s), PDU Session ID, AMF ID, Request Type, PCFID, priority access, small data rate control status, N1 SM container(e.g., comprising the PDU session establishment/modification request),user location information, access type, PEI, GPSI, UE presence in LADNservice area, subscription for PDU session status notification, DNNselection mode, trace requirements, control plane CIoT 5GS Optimizationindication, control plane only indicator, SM context ID, RAT type,and/or the like.

In an example, uplink packets of the first session may be associatedwith a first network slice. Downlink packets of the first session may beassociated with a second network slice. In an example, a third networkslice may comprise the first network slice and the second network slice.The first session may be for the third network slice. In an example, theQoS requirement information of the service and/or the first session mayindicate the first network slice (e.g., first NSSAI, first S-NSSAI,etc.) for uplink transmission of the first session and/or the secondnetwork slice (e.g., second NSSAI, second S-NSSAI, etc.) for downlinktransmission of the first session. In an example, the QoS requirementinformation of the service and/or the first session may indicate thethird network slice (e.g., third NSSAI, third S-NSSAI, etc.) for thefirst session. In an example, the session establishment request (e.g.,from the wireless device) for the first session may indicate at leastone of: the first network slice (e.g., first NSSAI, first S-NSSAI, etc.)for uplink transmission of the first session; the second network slice(e.g., second NSSAI, second S-NSSAI, etc.) for downlink transmission ofthe first session; and/or the third network slice (e.g., third NSSAI,third S-NSSAI, etc.) for the first session.

In an example, the QoS requirement information of the service and/or thefirst session may indicate that the one of the uplink or downlinkpackets of the first session needs at least one of: an ultra-reliabletransmission and/or a low-latency transmission. The QoS requirementinformation may indicate that the first session is for an asymmetricservice and/or that the service is an asymmetric service. The asymmetricservice may need different requirements for uplink packet transmissionand downlink packet transmission from each other. To support theasymmetric service, QoS requirements for uplink packet transmission maybe different from QoS requirements for downlink packet transmission. Inan example, the asymmetric service may comprise at least one of remotedrone/vehicle/plane control systems, cloud-based interactive videogames, remote surgery systems, remote sensing/alert systems, and/or thelike.

In an example, as shown in FIG. 17 and/or FIG. 18 , the asymmetricservice (e.g., for the remote-controlled drone and/or for the remotesurgery robot) may need URLLC requirements for downlink packettransmission (e.g., for control signal; small size data; low latencyrequirement) and may need large bandwidth data requirements for uplinkpacket transmission (e.g., collected data from drone and/or monitoreddata from robot: video/sound data, sensing data; large size and/orrelatively untight latency requirement).

In FIG. 17 , the downlink packet transmission may be for control signalfrom the controller. The control signal from the controller may be smallsize data and/or may need low latency (e.g., 1 ms) and high reliability(e.g., 0.0000000001% error rate). In FIG. 17 , the uplink packettransmission may be for collected data (e.g., video/sound data, sensingdata, etc.) from the remote-controlled drone. The collected data fromthe remote-controlled drone may be large size data and/or may needrelatively untight latency requirement (e.g., latency-insensitiverequirement: 10 ms to 100 ms). The collected data from theremote-controlled drone may need relatively less-reliability requirement(e.g., 0.01% error rate).

In FIG. 18 , the downlink packet transmission may be for control signalfrom the surgery controller. The control signal from the surgerycontroller may be small size data and/or may need low latency (e.g., 0.5ms) and high reliability (e.g., 0.000000000000001% error rate). In FIG.18 , the uplink packet transmission may be for surgery monitoring data(e.g., video/sound data, sensing data, etc.) from the remote surgeryrobot. The collected data from the remote surgery robot may be largesize data and/or may need relatively untight latency requirement (e.g.,latency-insensitive requirement: 10 ms to 100 ms). The collected datafrom the remote surgery robot may need relatively less-reliabilityrequirement (e.g., 0.001% error rate).

In an example, as shown in FIG. 19 and/or FIG. 20 , the asymmetricservice (e.g., for controller, hazard alert sensor, etc.) may needrelatively untight data requirements for downlink packet transmission(e.g., for collected data or maintenance signaling; e.g., video/sounddata, sensing data, or maintenance command signal; large size and/orrelatively untight latency requirement) and may need URLLC requirementsfor uplink packet transmission (e.g., for control signal from controlleror hazard alert signal from alert sensor; small size data; low latency).

In FIG. 19 , the downlink packet transmission may be for collected data(e.g., video/sound data, sensing data, etc.) from the remote-controlleddrone. The collected data from the remote-controlled drone may be largesize data and/or may need relatively untight latency requirement (e.g.,latency-insensitive requirement: 10 ms to 100 ms). The collected datafrom the remote-controlled drone may need relatively less-reliabilityrequirement (e.g., 0.01% error rate). In FIG. 19 , the uplink packettransmission may be for control signal from the controller. The controlsignal from the controller may be small size data and/or may need lowlatency (e.g., 1 ms, 0.5 ms) and high reliability (e.g., 0.0000000001%error rate).

In FIG. 20 , the downlink packet transmission may be for maintenancesignaling (e.g., maintenance command signal) from the monitoring center.The maintenance signaling from the monitoring center may need relativelyuntight latency requirement (e.g., latency-insensitive requirement: 10ms to 100 ms). The maintenance signaling from the monitoring center mayneed relatively less-reliability requirement (e.g., 0.0001% error rate).In FIG. 20 , the uplink packet transmission may be for alert signal(e.g., event notification) from the hazard alert sensor. The alertsignal from the hazard alert sensor may be small size data and/or mayneed low latency (e.g., 1 ms) and high reliability (e.g., 0.0000000001%error rate).

In FIG. 17 , FIG. 18 , FIG. 19 , and/or FIG. 20 , the uplink anddownlink packets of session1 may be transmitted via the gNB1, and theduplication of downlink or uplink packets of session1 may be transmittedvia the gNB2 (e.g., different than the gNB1). In FIG. 17 , FIG. 18 ,FIG. 19 , and/or FIG. 20 , the uplink and downlink packets of session1and the duplication of downlink or uplink packets of session1 may betransmitted via the gNB1 (e.g., original packets and duplicated packetsvia the same gNB).

In an example, the SMF may determine, based on the QoS requirementinformation, duplication of one of uplink or downlink packets of thefirst session. The SMF may determine to configure/establish a secondsession for transmitting the duplication of the one of uplink ordownlink packets of the first session. In an example, the SMF mayreceive, from another network node (e.g., PCF, CHF, NRF, the wirelessdevice, etc.), session configuration policy and/or session configurationdetermination result (e.g., the duplication of the one of uplink ordownlink packets of the first session) for the first session and/or thesecond session based on the QoS requirement information. The SMF maydetermine/configure the duplication of the one of uplink or downlinkpackets of the first session and/or may determine to configure/establishthe second session, based on the session configuration policy and/or thesession configuration determination result.

In an example, the second session may be for transmitting theduplication of uplink packets of the first session and not fortransmitting the duplication of downlink packets of the first session.In an example, the second session may be for transmitting theduplication of downlink packets of the first session and not fortransmitting the duplication of uplink packets of the first session. Inan example, the second session may be one of: an uplink only session(e.g., if only uplink packets of the first session are duplicated); or adownlink only session (e.g., if only downlink packets of the firstsession are duplicated). The first session may be for at least oneasymmetric service (e.g., the service).

In an example, if the service associated with the first session needsultra-reliable and/or low-latency packet transmission for downlink andneeds large data volume, less-reliable, and/or latency-insensitive(e.g., untight latency) packet transmission for uplink (e.g., theservice as shown in FIG. 17 and/or FIG. 18 ), the SMF (e.g., and/or theanother network node) may determine/configure duplication of downlinkpackets of the first session. The duplication of the one of uplink ordownlink packets of the first session may comprise duplicating downlinkpackets of the first session and not-duplicating uplink packets of thefirst session. By duplicating downlink packets of the first session atthe network (e.g., UPF, PSA UPF, etc.), the wireless device may reliablyreceive downlink packets, for example, due to transmission/receptionpath diversity and/or packet transmission repetition. For theduplication of downlink packets of the first session, the SMF (e.g.,and/or another network node) may determine to configure the secondsession. Uplink and downlink packets of the first session may betransmitted via the first session. The duplication of downlink packetsof the first session may be transmitted via the second session. Uplinkpackets of the first session may not be duplicated via the secondsession.

In an example, if the service associated with the first session needsultra-reliable and/or low-latency packet transmission for uplink andneeds large data volume, less-reliable, and/or latency-insensitive(e.g., untight latency) packet transmission for downlink (e.g., theservice as shown in FIG. 19 and/or FIG. 20 ), the SMF (e.g., and/or theanother network node) may determine/configure duplication of uplinkpackets of the first session. The duplication of the one of uplink ordownlink packets of the first session may comprise duplicating uplinkpackets of the first session and not-duplicating downlink packets of thefirst session. By duplicating uplink packets of the first session (e.g.,at the wireless device), the wireless device may reliably transmituplink packets, for example, due to transmission/reception pathdiversity and/or packet transmission repetition. For the duplication ofuplink packets of the first session, the SMF (e.g., and/or anothernetwork node) may determine to configure the second session. Uplink anddownlink packets of the first session may be transmitted via the firstsession. The duplication of uplink packets of the first session may betransmitted via the second session. Downlink packets of the firstsession may not be duplicated via the second session.

In an example, the first session and/or the second session may beinterpreted as at least one of: a packet flow, a QoS flow, a bearer(e.g., radio bearer, core bearer, EPS bearer, etc.), a PDU session,and/or the like.

In an example, the first session and the second session may have samePDU session identifier. In an example, a PDU session may comprise thefirst session and the second session. In an example, the second sessionmay be part of the first session. In an example, the second session maybe a separate/different PDU session from the first session and/or mayhave a separate/different/independent PDU session identifier from thefirst session.

In an example, the first session may be configured via a 3GPP networkand the second session may be configured via a non-3GPP network (e.g.,WiFi, WLAN, CDMA, WiMAX, 3GPP LTE network, 3GPP 3G network, etc.). A PDUsession may be a multi-access PDU session, and the first session of thePDU session may be configured via the 3GPP network and the secondsession of the PDU session may be configured via the non-3GPP network.In an example, the first session may be configured via the non-3GPPnetwork and the second session may be configured via the 3GPP network.

In an example, the first session may be configured between the wirelessdevice and the UPF (e.g., PSA UPF) via the first base station, and thesecond session may be configured between the wireless device and the UPF(e.g., PSA UPF) via the second base station. In an example, the firstsession and the second session may be configured between the wirelessdevice and the UPF via the first base station. In an example, the firstsession may be configured between the wireless device and the UPF viathe first base station and the second session may be configured betweenthe first base station and the UPF.

In an example, the first session and/or the second session may passthrough one or more UPFs between the first base station and the UPF(e.g., the PSA UPF) and/or between the second base station and the UPF(e.g., the PSA UPF).

In an example, based on determining to configure the duplication of theone of uplink or downlink packets of the first session, the SMF maysend, to the UPF (e.g., user plane core network node: serving gateway,PDN gateway, UPF, etc.), a session configuration request indicating thatthe second session is for transmitting the duplication of one of uplinkor downlink packets of the first session. The session configurationrequest may be for configuration of the first session and the secondsession of the wireless device. The SMF may send the sessionconfiguration request to the UPF via an N4 interface that is setupbetween the SMF and the UPF. In an example, the second configurationrequest may comprise at least one of: a session establishment requestmessage; a session modification request message; and/or the like. Thesession configuration request may comprise one or more informationelements for the first session and/or the second session. The one ormore information elements of the session configuration request mayindicate at least one of: Node ID of the SMF, CP F-SEID (e.g., sessionidentifier), Create PDR, Create FAR, Create URR, Create QER, Create BAR,Create Traffic Endpoint, PDN Type (e.g., IP PDN connection/PDU session;non-IP PDN connection/PDU session; and/or an Ethernet PDU session),SGW-C FQ-CSID, MME FQ-CSID, PGW-C FQ-CSID, ePDG FQ-CSID, TWAN FQ-CSID,User Plane Inactivity Timer, User ID of the wireless device, TraceInformation, and/or the like. In an example, the SMF may send thesession configuration request to the UPF via an N4 interface that may besetup between the SMF and the UPF.

In an example, the one or more information elements of the sessionconfiguration request may indicate first QoS information of the firstsession and/or second QoS information of the second session. The firstQoS information may comprise QoS information of uplink packets of thefirst session and QoS information of downlink packets of the firstsession. The QoS information of uplink packets of the first session maybe different from the QoS information of downlink packets of the firstsession. If the second session is for duplication of uplink packets ofthe first session (e.g., the QoS information of uplink packets of thefirst session is for URLLC service), the second QoS information maycomprise QoS information of uplink packets of the second session (e.g.,the QoS information of uplink packets of the second session may or maynot same to the QoS information of uplink packets of the first session).If the second session is for duplication of downlink packets of thefirst session (e.g., the QoS information of downlink packets of thefirst session is for URLLC service), the second QoS information maycomprise QoS information of downlink packets of the second session(e.g., the QoS information of downlink packets of the second session mayor may not same to the QoS information of downlink packets of the firstsession). In an example, QoS information (e.g., the first QoSinformation, the second QoS information, the QoS information of uplinkpackets of the first session, the QoS information of downlink packets ofthe first session, the QoS information of uplink packets of the secondsession, the QoS information of downlink packets of the second session,QoS information of QoS flow of the first session and/or the secondsession, etc.) may comprise at least one of: QoS Class Identifier (QCI),5G QoS Indicator (5QI: dynamic and/or non-dynamic), priority level,allocation and retention priority (ARP: priority level, pre-emptioncapability, pre-emption vulnerability, etc.), latency requirement (e.g.,tolerable packet transmission latency/delay), reliability requirement(e.g., maximum error rate), session aggregate maximum bit rate (AMBR),session type (e.g., PDU session type: IP, non-IP, ethernet, IPv4, IPv6,IPv4v6, unstructured, etc.), QoS flow identifier, QoS flow level QoSparameters, averaging window, maximum data burst volume, packet delaybudget, packet error rate, delay critical indication (e.g., critical ornon-critical), maximum flow bit rate downlink, maximum flow bit rateuplink, guaranteed flow bit rate downlink, guaranteed flow bit rateuplink, notification control (e.g., indicating notification requested),maximum packet loss rate downlink, maximum packet loss rate uplink,and/or the like.

In an example, the one or more information elements of the sessionconfiguration request may indicate at least one of: first network sliceinformation (e.g., first NSSAI, first S-NSSAI, etc.) of the firstnetwork slice for uplink packets of the first session; second networkslice information (e.g., second NSSAI, second S-NSSAI, etc.) of thesecond network slice for downlink packets of the first session; thirdnetwork slice information (e.g., third NSSAI, third S-NSSAI, etc.) ofthe third network slice of the first session; fourth network sliceinformation (e.g., first NSSAI, first S-NSSAI, etc.) of the firstnetwork slice for uplink packets of the second session (e.g., whenduplicating uplink packets of the first session); fifth network sliceinformation (e.g., second NSSAI, second S-NSSAI, etc.) of the secondnetwork slice for downlink packets of the second session (e.g., whenduplicating downlink packets of the first session); and/or the like.

In an example, the one or more information elements of the sessionconfiguration request may indicate at least one of: a first downlinktunnel endpoint identifier (TEID) of the first session; a seconddownlink TEID of the second session; and/or the like. In an example, thefirst downlink TEID may be an IP address of the first base station orthe second base station. In an example, the second downlink TEID may bean address (e.g., IP address) of the first base station or the secondbase station. If the first session and the second session pass throughthe same base station, as shown in FIG. 23 , the first downlink TEID andthe second downlink TEID may be addresses (e.g., IP addresses) of thesame base station (e.g., the first base station or the second basestation). If the first session and the second session pass throughdifferent/separate base stations than each other, as shown in FIG. 22 ,the first downlink TEID and the second downlink TEID may be addresses(e.g., IP addresses) of different/separate base station (e.g., the firstdownlink TEID is for the first base station and the second downlink TEIDis for the second base station; or the first downlink TEID is for thesecond base station and the second downlink TEID is for the first basestation). In an example, if the first session and/or the second sessionpass through one or more UPFs between the UPF and the first base stationand/or between the UPF and the second base station, the first downlinkTEID and/or the second downlink TEID may be addresses (e.g., IPaddresses) of the one or more UPFs.

In an example, based on the session configuration request, the UPF mayconfigure the first session and the second session. The UPF mayconfigure at least one of: a first uplink TEID of the first session; asecond uplink TEID of the second session; and/or the like. The firstuplink TEID and/or the second uplink TEID may be addresses (e.g., IPaddresses) of the UPF. The UPF may apply, for the first session and/orthe second session, the first QoS information of the first sessionand/or the second QoS information of the second session. The UPF mayconfigure QoS parameters for the first session and/or the second sessionbased on the first QoS information of the first session and/or thesecond QoS information of the second session. The UPF may apply thefirst downlink TEID for the first session and/or the second downlinkTEID for the second session.

In an example, the SMF may receive, from the UPF, a sessionconfiguration request acknowledge indicating configuration of the firstsession and the second session. The session configuration requestacknowledge may be a response/acknowledge for the session configurationrequest. The session configuration request acknowledge may comprise atleast one of: the first uplink TEID for the first session; and/or asecond uplink TEID for the second session. In an example, the sessionconfiguration request acknowledge may comprise at least one of: asession establishment response message; a session modification responsemessage; and/or the like. The session configuration request acknowledgemay indicate whether the UPF accepts the first session and/or the secondsession. The session configuration request acknowledge may indicatewhether the UPF accepts one or more configurations of the first QoSinformation for the first session and/or one or more configurations ofthe second QoS information for the second session. In an example, thesession configuration request acknowledge may comprise at least one of:Node ID of the UPF, Cause (e.g., for rejection of the one or moreconfigurations of the first/second QoS information; for rejection of thefirst session and/or the second session), Offending IE (e.g., indicatingthe rejection is due to a conditional or mandatory IE missing orfaulty), UP F-SEID, Created PDR, Load Control Information (e.g., if theUPF supports a load control feature and/or the load control feature isactivated in the UPF), Overload Control Information (e.g., if the UPFsupports an overload control feature and/or the overload control featureis activated in the UPF), SGW-U FQ-CSID, PGW-U FQ-CSID, Failed Rule ID(e.g., if the Cause IE indicates the rejection due to a rule creation ormodification failure), Created Traffic Endpoint, and/or the like. In anexample, the UPF may accept the first session and the second session. Inan example, the UPF may accept the first session and reject the secondsession. In an example, the UPF may reject the first session and thesecond session. In an example, based on rejecting the first session (orin response to rejecting the first session), the UPF may reject thesecond session. In an example, the UPF may send the sessionconfiguration request acknowledge to the SMF via the N4 interface thatmay be setup between the SMF and the UPF.

In an example, the first base station may receive, from the SMF (e.g.,via the AMF), a PDU session configuration request. In an example, thefirst base station may receive, from the AMF, the PDU sessionconfiguration request (e.g., the AMF may receive, from the SMF, PDUsession parameters of the PDU session configuration request). The PDUsession configuration request may be for configuration of the firstsession and the second session of the wireless device. The PDU sessionconfiguration request may indicate that the second session is fortransmitting the duplication of the one of uplink or downlink packets ofthe first session. In an example, the first base station may receive thePDU session configuration request from the AMF via the control planeconnection (e.g., N2 interface, S1 control plane interface, etc.). In anexample, the PDU session configuration request may be at least one of:PDU session resource setup request message, PDU session resource modifyrequest message, initial context setup request message, UE contextmodification request message, and/or the like. The PDU sessionconfiguration request may comprise one or more configuration informationelements for the first session, the second session, and/or the wirelessdevice. The one or more configuration information elements of the PDUsession configuration request may comprise at least one of: Message Typeof the PDU session configuration request, AMF UE NGAP ID (e.g.,identifier of the wireless device), RAN UE NGAP ID (e.g., identifier ofthe wireless device), RAN Paging Priority, NAS-PDU (e.g., NAS messageand/or NAS parameters for the wireless device), PDU session resourcesetup request list (e.g., for each PDU session: PDU session ID, PDUsession NAS-PDU, network slice information, S-NSSAI, PDU sessionresource setup/modify request transfer (e.g., a message from the SMF tothe first base station), etc.) for one or more PDU sessions (e.g.,comprising the first session and/or the second session) of the wirelessdevice, UE AMBR, and/or the like. In an example, the NAS-PDU and/or thePDU session NAS-PDU of the PDU session configuration request maycomprise NAS information indicating that the second session is fortransmitting the duplication of the one of uplink or downlink packets ofthe first session. In an example, the first base station may receive theNAS information (e.g., the NAS-PDU and/or the PDU session NAS-PDU) fromthe SMF and/or the AMF. The first base station may forward/send, to thewireless device (e.g., via at least one RRC message), the NASinformation (e.g., the NAS-PDU and/or the PDU session NAS-PDU of the PDUsession configuration request).

In an example, the PDU session configuration request and/or the PDUsession resource setup/modify request transfer (e.g., the message fromthe SMF to the first base station) for the one or more PDU sessions ofthe PDU session configuration request may comprise one or more sessionparameters for the first session, the second session, and/or one or moresessions. The one or more session parameters may indicate at least oneof: PDU session AMBR (e.g., of the first session, the second session,and/or the one or more sessions), UL NG-U UP TNL Information (e.g., thefirst uplink TEID for the first session, the second uplink TEID for thesecond session, etc.), Additional UL NG-U UP TNL Information, DataForwarding Not Possible indication (e.g., for handover procedure), PDUSession Type (e.g., Ipv4, Ipv6, Ipv4v6, ethernet, unstructured, etc.),Security Indication (e.g., user plane integrity protection indication;confidentiality protection indication which indicates requirements onuplink integrity protection and/or ciphering for corresponding PDUsessions; maximum integrity protected data rate per UE for integrityprotection for DRBs; etc.), Network Instance (e.g., for selecting aparticular transport network resource), QoS Flow Setup Request List(e.g., for each QoS flow of corresponding PDU session: QoS FlowIdentifier, QoS flow level QoS parameters, E-RAB ID, etc.), CommonNetwork Instance, and/or the like.

In an example, the PDU session configuration request and/or the QoS flowlevel QoS parameters of the PDU session resource setup/modify requesttransfer (e.g., the message from the SMF to the first base station) maycomprise the first QoS information of the first session and/or thesecond QoS information of the first session. The first QoS informationmay comprise QoS configuration parameters of uplink packets of the firstsession and QoS configuration parameters of downlink packets of thefirst session. If the second session is for duplication of uplinkpackets of the first session, the second QoS information may compriseQoS configuration parameters of uplink packets of the second session(e.g., the QoS configuration parameters of uplink packets of the secondsession may or may not same to the QoS configuration parameters ofuplink packets of the first session). If the second session is forduplication of downlink packets of the first session, the second QoSinformation may comprise QoS configuration parameters of downlinkpackets of the second session (e.g., the QoS configuration parameters ofdownlink packets of the second session may or may not same to the QoSconfiguration parameters of downlink packets of the first session).

In an example, QoS configuration parameters (e.g., the first QoSinformation, the second QoS information, the QoS configurationparameters of uplink packets of the first session, the QoS configurationparameters of downlink packets of the first session, the QoSconfiguration parameters of uplink packets of the second session, theQoS configuration parameters of downlink packets of the second session,QoS configuration parameters (e.g., the QoS flow level QoS parameters)of QoS flow of the first session and/or the second session, etc.) maycomprise at least one of: QoS Class Identifier (QCI), 5G QoS Indicator(5QI: dynamic and/or non-dynamic), priority level, allocation andretention priority (ARP: priority level, pre-emption capability,pre-emption vulnerability, etc.), latency requirement (e.g., tolerablepacket transmission latency/delay), reliability requirement (e.g.,maximum error rate), session aggregate maximum bit rate (AMBR), sessiontype (e.g., PDU session type: IP, non-IP, ethernet, IPv4, IPv6, IPv4v6,unstructured, etc.), QoS flow identifier, QoS level parameters,averaging window, maximum data burst volume, packet delay budget, packeterror rate, delay critical indication (e.g., critical or non-critical),maximum flow bit rate downlink, maximum flow bit rate uplink, guaranteedflow bit rate downlink, guaranteed flow bit rate uplink, notificationcontrol (e.g., indicating notification requested), maximum packet lossrate downlink, maximum packet loss rate uplink, and/or the like.

In an example, the PDU session configuration request and/or the PDUsession resource setup/modify request transfer (e.g., the message fromthe SMF to the first base station) for the one or more PDU sessions ofthe PDU session configuration request may comprise the first networkslice information (e.g., first NSSAI, first S-NSSAI, etc.) of the firstnetwork slice for uplink packets of the first session; the secondnetwork slice information (e.g., second NSSAI, second S-NSSAI, etc.) ofthe second network slice for downlink packets of the first session; thethird network slice information (e.g., third NSSAI, third S-NSSAI, etc.)of the third network slice of the first session; the fourth networkslice information (e.g., first NSSAI, first S-NSSAI, etc.) of the firstnetwork slice for uplink packets of the second session (e.g., whenduplicating uplink packets of the first session); the fifth networkslice information (e.g., second NSSAI, second S-NSSAI, etc.) of thesecond network slice for downlink packets of the second session (e.g.,when duplicating downlink packets of the first session); and/or thelike. In an example, the first network slice information may be same tothe fourth network slice information. In an example, the second networkslice information may be same to the fifth network slice information.

In an example, the first base station may send, to the SMF (e.g., viathe AMF), a PDU session configuration request acknowledge in response toreceiving the PDU session configuration request. In an example, thefirst base station may send, to the AMF, the PDU session configurationrequest acknowledge (e.g., the AMF may send, to the SMF, PDU sessionresponse parameters of the PDU session configuration requestacknowledge). The PDU session configuration request acknowledge maycomprise at least one of: the first downlink TEID for the first session;and/or the second downlink TEID for the second session. In an example,the first base station may send the PDU session configuration requestacknowledge to the AMF via the control plane connection (e.g., N2interface, S1 control plane interface, etc.). The PDU sessionconfiguration request acknowledge may be at least one of: PDU sessionresource setup response, PDU session resource modify response, initialcontext setup response message, UE context modification responsemessage, and/or the like. The PDU session configuration requestacknowledge may comprise at least one of: Message Type of the PDUsession configuration request, AMF UE NGAP ID (e.g., identifier of thewireless device), RAN UE NGAP ID (e.g., identifier of the wirelessdevice), RAN Paging Priority, NAS-PDU (e.g., NAS message and/or NASparameters for the wireless device), PDU session resource setup responselist (e.g., for one or more PDU sessions: PDU session ID, PDU sessionNAS-PDU, network slice information, S-NSSAI, PDU session resourcesetup/modify response transfer (e.g., a message from the first basestation to the SMF), etc.) for one or more PDU sessions (e.g.,comprising the first session and/or the second session) of the wirelessdevice, PDU session resource failed to setup list (e.g., for one or morefailed-to-setup PDU sessions: PDU session ID, PDU session NAS-PDU,network slice information, S-NSSAI, PDU session resource setup/modifyunsuccessful transfer (e.g., a message from the first base station tothe SMF), etc.) for one or more PDU sessions (e.g., comprising the firstsession and/or the second session) of the wireless device, and/or thelike.

In an example, the first base station may accept the first session andthe second session. In an example, the first base station may accept thefirst session and reject the second session. In an example, the firstbase station may reject the first session and the second session. In anexample, based on rejecting the first session (or in response torejecting the first session), the first base station may reject thesecond session. In an example, the first base station may send the PDUsession configuration request acknowledge to the AMF and/or the SMF viathe N2 interface that may be setup between the first base station andthe AMF.

In an example, the first base station may communicate (e.g.,send/receive) uplink packets and downlink packets via the at least onefirst bearer of the first session. The first base station may receiveuplink packets of the first session via the at least one first bearerfrom the wireless device and may send the uplink packets via the firstsession to the UPF. The first base station may receive downlink packetsvia the first session from the UPF and may send the downlink packets ofthe first session via the at least one first bearer to the wirelessdevice. Based on the PDU session configuration request and/or the NASinformation, the first base station may perform one of: receiving theduplication of the uplink packets of the first session via the at leastone second bearer of the second session from the wireless device (and/orsending the duplication of the uplink packets of the first session viathe second session to the UPF); or sending the duplication of thedownlink packets of the first session via the at least one second bearerof the second session to the wireless device (and/or receiving theduplication of the downlink packets of the first session via the secondsession from the UPF).

In an example, the SMF may send, to the UPF, a modification requestbased on the PDU session configuration request acknowledge. Themodification request may comprise the first downlink TEID for the firstsession and/or the second downlink TEID for the second session. Themodification request may indicate session configurations based on thesetup or failure (e.g., indicated in the PDU session configurationrequest acknowledge) of each PDU session and/or QoS update of the PDUsession.

In an example, the PDU session configuration request and/or the PDUsession resource setup/modify request transfer (e.g., the message fromthe SMF to the first base station) for the one or more PDU sessions ofthe PDU session configuration request may indicate that the secondsession needs to be configured via a different base station than a basestation via which the first session is configured. In an example, thePDU session configuration request and/or the PDU session resourcesetup/modify request transfer may indicate that the second session needsto be configured via a secondary base station (e.g., the second basestation) of the wireless device. In an example, based on the PDU sessionconfiguration request and/or the PDU session resource setup/modifyrequest transfer, the first base station may determine to configure thefirst session via the first base station and the second session via thesecond base station. In an example, based on the PDU sessionconfiguration request and/or the PDU session resource setup/modifyrequest transfer, the first base station may determine to configure thefirst session via the second base station and the second session via thefirst base station. In an example, the first base station may determineto configure the first session and the second session via the same basestation (e.g., the first base station or the second base station). In anexample, the first base station may determine to configure the firstsession via the first base station and the second session via the secondbase station. In an example, the first base station may determine toconfigure the first session via the second base station and the secondsession via the first base station.

In an example, the first base station may send, to the second basestation, at least one secondary node configuration request messagecomprising session configuration parameters of the second session and/orthe first session) and bearer configuration parameters of the at leastone second bearer and/or the at least one first bearer). In an example,based on determining to configure the first session via the first basestation and the second session via the second base station, the firstbase station may send, to the second base station, the at least onesecondary node configuration request message comprising the sessionconfiguration parameters of the second session and the bearerconfiguration parameters of the at least one second bearer. In anexample, based on determining to configure the second session via thefirst base station and the first session via the second base station,the first base station may send, to the second base station, the atleast one secondary node configuration request message comprising thesession configuration parameters of the first session and the bearerconfiguration parameters of the at least one first bearer. In anexample, based on determining to configure the first session and thesecond session via the second base station, the first base station maysend, to the second base station, the at least one secondary nodeconfiguration request message comprising the session configurationparameters of the first session and the second session and the bearerconfiguration parameters of the at least one first bearer and the atleast one second bearer.

In an example, one or more information elements of the at least onesecondary node configuration request message may be based on the PDUsession configuration request and/or the PDU session resourcesetup/modify request transfer (e.g., the message from the SMF to thefirst base station) for the one or more PDU sessions of the PDU sessionconfiguration request. In an example, the at least one secondary nodeconfiguration request message may indicate that the second session isfor transmitting the duplication of the one of uplink or downlinkpackets. The at least one secondary node configuration request messagemay indicate that the second session is for transmitting the duplicationof the one of uplink or downlink packets of the first session. In anexample, the at least one secondary node configuration request messagemay be sent via the direct interface (e.g., the Xn interface and/or theX2 interface) and/or via the indirect interface (e.g., one or more N2interface, one or more S1 interface, one or more AMF, one or more SMF,etc.). In an example, the at least one secondary node configurationrequest message may be at least one of: secondary node addition requestmessage, secondary node modification request message, secondary nodemodification confirm message, and/or the like.

In an example, the at least one secondary node configuration requestmessage may comprise at least one of: Message Type, M-NG-RAN node UEXnAP ID (e.g., identifier of the wireless device), UE SecurityCapabilities, S-NG-RAN node Security Key, S-NG-RAN node UE AMBR,Selected PLMN, Mobility Restriction List, Index to RAT/FrequencySelection Priority, PDU Session Resources To Be Added/Modified List(e.g., for each PDU session: PDU Session ID, S-NSSAI, network sliceinformation, S-NG-RAN node PDU Session AMBR, PDU Session ResourceSetup/Modification Info-SN terminated, PDU Session ResourceSetup/Modification Info-MN terminated, etc.), M-NG-RAN node to S-NG-RANnode Container, S-NG-RAN node UE XnAP ID, Expected UE Behavior,Requested Split SRBs, PCell ID, Desired Activity Notification Level,Available DRB IDs, S-NG-RAN node Maximum Integrity Protected Data RateUplink, S-NG-RAN node Maximum Integrity Protected Data Rate Downlink,Location Information at S-NODE reporting, MR-DC Resource CoordinationInformation, Masked IMEISV, NE-DC TDM Pattern, and/or the like. In anexample, the PDU session resource setup/modification info-SN terminatedand/or the PDU session resource setup/modification info-SN terminated ofthe at least one secondary node configuration request message maycomprise at least one of: UL NG-U UP TNL Information at UPF (e.g., thefirst uplink TEID for the first session and/or the second uplink TEIDfor the second session), PDU Session Type (e.g., IP, non-IP, ethernet,IPv4, IPv6, IPv4v6, unstructured, etc.), Network Instance (e.g., forselecting a particular transport network resource), QoS Flows To BeSetup/Modified List (e.g., for each QoS flow: QoS Flow Identifier, QoSFlow Level QoS Parameters, Offered GBR QoS Flow Information, etc.), DataForwarding and Offloading Info from source NG-RAN node, SecurityIndication, Security Result, Common Network Instance, radio bearers(RBs) To Be Setup/Modified List (e.g., for each bearers: DRB ID, MN ULPDCP UP TNL Information, RLC Mode, UL Configuration, DRB QoS, PDCP SNLength, secondary MN UL PDCP UP TNL Information, Duplication Activation,QoS Flow Identifier, QoS Flow Level QoS Parameters, etc.), and/or thelike.

In an example, the QoS flow level QoS parameters of the QoS Flows To BeSetup/Modified List and/or RBs To Be Setup/Modified List may comprise atleast one of: QoS Class Identifier (QCI), 5G QoS Indicator (5QI: dynamicand/or non-dynamic), priority level, allocation and retention priority(ARP: priority level, pre-emption capability, pre-emption vulnerability,etc.), latency requirement (e.g., tolerable packet transmissionlatency/delay), reliability requirement (e.g., maximum error rate),session aggregate maximum bit rate (AMBR), session type (e.g., PDUsession type: IP, non-IP, ethernet, IPv4, IPv6, IPv4v6, unstructured,etc.), QoS flow identifier, QoS level parameters, averaging window,maximum data burst volume, packet delay budget, packet error rate, delaycritical indication (e.g., critical or non-critical), maximum flow bitrate downlink, maximum flow bit rate uplink, guaranteed flow bit ratedownlink, guaranteed flow bit rate uplink, notification control (e.g.,indicating notification requested), maximum packet loss rate downlink,maximum packet loss rate uplink, and/or the like.

In an example, the at least one secondary node configuration requestmessage may comprise at least one of: the first network sliceinformation (e.g., first NSSAI, first S-NSSAI, etc.) of the firstnetwork slice for uplink packets of the first session; second networkslice information (e.g., second NSSAI, second S-NSSAI, etc.) of thesecond network slice for downlink packets of the first session; thirdnetwork slice information (e.g., third NSSAI, third S-NSSAI, etc.) ofthe third network slice of the first session; fourth network sliceinformation (e.g., first NSSAI, first S-NSSAI, etc.) of the firstnetwork slice for uplink packets of the second session (e.g., whenduplicating uplink packets of the first session); fifth network sliceinformation (e.g., second NSSAI, second S-NSSAI, etc.) of the secondnetwork slice for downlink packets of the second session (e.g., whenduplicating downlink packets of the first session); and/or the like.

In an example, based on the at least one secondary node configurationrequest message, the second base station may configure the secondsession and/or the at least one second bearer of the second session forthe wireless device. In an example, if the first session and the secondsession are configured to setup at the second base station by the firstbase station (e.g., via the at least one secondary node configurationrequest message), the second base station may configure the firstsession (and/or the at least one first bearer of the first session) andthe second session (and/or the at least one second bearer of the secondsession) at the second base station. Based on the at least one secondarynode configuration request message and/or RRC measurement information ofthe wireless device, the second base station may determine a secondarycell group (SCG) for the wireless device. In an example, if the secondsession is setup at the second base station (e.g., as indicated via theat least one secondary node configuration request message), the secondbase station may configure one or more cells of the SCG for the at leastone second bearer of the second session of the wireless device. In anexample, if the first session is setup at the second base station (e.g.,as indicated via the at least one secondary node configuration requestmessage), the second base station may configure one or more cells of theSCG for the at least one first bearer of the first session of thewireless device. In an example, if the first session and the secondsession are setup at the second base station (e.g., as indicated via theat least one secondary node configuration request message), the secondbase station may configure at least one first secondary cells of the SCGfor the at least one first bearer of the first session and at least onesecond secondary cells of the SCG for the at least one second bearer ofthe second session. The second base station may configure resources forthe first session (e.g., the at least one first bearer) and/or thesecond session (e.g., the at least one second bearer) based on QoSparameters (e.g., the QoS flow level QoS parameters of the QoS Flows ToBe Setup/Modified List and/or RBs To Be Setup/Modified List) of the atleast one secondary node configuration request message.

In an example, the first base station may receive, from the second basestation, at least one secondary node configuration request acknowledgemessage indicating configuration of the first session (e.g., the atleast one first bearer) and/or the second session (e.g., the at leastone second bearer) based on the at least one secondary nodeconfiguration request message. In an example, the at least one secondarynode configuration request acknowledge message may be in response to theat least one secondary node configuration request message. The at leastone secondary node configuration request acknowledge message maycomprise the first downlink TEID for the first session (e.g., if thefirst session is configured at the second base station) and/or thesecond downlink TEID for the second session (e.g., if the second sessionis configured at the second base station). In an example, the first basestation may send, to the AMF (and/or the SMF), the PDU sessionconfiguration request acknowledge based on the at least one secondarynode configuration request acknowledge message. In an example, the atleast one secondary node configuration request acknowledge message maybe sent via the direct interface (e.g., the Xn interface and/or the X2interface) and/or via the indirect interface (e.g., one or more N2interface, one or more 51 interface, one or more AMF, one or more SMF,etc.). In an example, the at least one secondary node configurationrequest acknowledge message may be at least one of: secondary nodeaddition request acknowledge message, secondary node modificationrequest acknowledge message, secondary node modification requiredmessage, and/or the like.

In an example, the at least one secondary node configuration requestacknowledge message may comprise at least one of: Message Type of the atleast one secondary node configuration request acknowledge message,M-NG-RAN node UE XnAP ID (e.g., identifier of the wireless device),S-NG-RAN node UE XnAP ID (e.g., identifier of the wireless device), PDUSession Resources Admitted To Be Added List (e.g., for one or more PDUsessions: PDU session ID, PDU Session Resource Setup Response Info-SNterminated, PDU Session Resource Setup Response Info-MN terminated,etc.) for one or more PDU sessions (e.g., comprising the first sessionand/or the second session) of the wireless device, PDU Session ResourcesNot Admitted List (e.g., for one or more failed-to-setup PDU sessions:PDU session ID, PDU Session Resources Not Admitted List-SN terminated,PDU Session Resources Not Admitted List-MN terminated, cause fornot-admitting, etc.) for one or more PDU sessions (e.g., comprising thefirst session and/or the second session) of the wireless device,S-NG-RAN node to M-NG-RAN node Container, Admitted Split SRBs, RRCConfig Indication, Location Information at S-NODE, MR-DC ResourceCoordination Information, and/or the like. In an example, the PDUSession Resource Setup Response Info-SN terminated and/or the PDUSession Resource Setup Response Info-MN terminated may indicate at leastone of: DL NG-U UP TNL Information at NG-RAN (e.g., user plane TEID),DRBs To Be Setup/admitted List (e.g., for each allowed DRB: DRB ID, SNUL PDCP UP TNL Information, DRB QoS, PDCP SN Length, RLC Mode, secondarySN UL PDCP UP TNL Information, Duplication Activation, UL Configuration,SN DL SCG UP TNL Information (e.g., downlink TEID), secondary SN DL SCGUP TNL Information (e.g., downlink TEID), LCID, etc.), QoS Flows MappedTo DRB List in the DRBs To Be Setup List (e.g., QoS Flow Identifier, MCGrequested GBR QoS Flow Information, QoS Flow Mapping Indication), DataForwarding Info from target NG-RAN node, QoS Flows Not Admitted List,and/or the like.

In an example, the at least one secondary node configuration requestacknowledge message (e.g., the RRC Config Indication) may compriseinformation of the SCG for the wireless device. The information of theSCG for the wireless device may comprise configuration parameters for atleast one of: the one or more cells of the SCG for the at least onesecond bearer of the second session and/or for the at least one firstbearer of the first session; the at least one first secondary cells ofthe SCG for the at least one first bearer of the first session; the atleast one second secondary cells of the SCG for the at least one secondbearer of the second session; and/or the like.

In an example, if the at least one secondary node configuration requestmessage indicates that the second base station configures both the firstsession and the second session, the second base station may at least oneof: accept the first session and the second session; accept the firstsession and reject the second session; and/or reject the first sessionand the second session. In an example, if the at least one secondarynode configuration request message indicates that the second basestation configures both the first session and the second session, basedon rejecting the first session (or in response to rejecting the firstsession), the second base station may reject the second session.

In an example, if the first session is configured at the second basestation, the second base station may communicate (e.g., send/receive)uplink packets and downlink packets via the at least one first bearer ofthe first session. If the first session is configured at the second basestation, the second base station may receive uplink packets of the firstsession via the at least one first bearer from the wireless device andmay send the uplink packets via the first session to the UPF. If thefirst session is configured at the second base station, the first basestation may receive downlink packets via the first session from the UPFand may send the downlink packets of the first session via the at leastone first bearer to the wireless device.

Based on the at least one secondary node configuration request message,the second base station may perform one of: receiving the duplication ofthe uplink packets of the first session via the at least one secondbearer of the second session from the wireless device (and/or sendingthe duplication of the uplink packets of the first session via thesecond session to the UPF); or sending the duplication of the downlinkpackets of the first session via the at least one second bearer of thesecond session to the wireless device (and/or receiving the duplicationof the downlink packets of the first session via the second session fromthe UPF).

In an example, the first base station may comprise a base stationcentral unit (e.g., gNB-CU) and at least one base station distributedunit (e.g., gNB-DU). The base station central unit may configure thefirst session (e.g., the at least one first QoS flow, the at least onefirst bearer) on a first base station distributed unit and the secondsession (e.g., the at least one second QoS flow, the at least one secondbearer) on a second base station distributed unit. The base stationcentral unit may comprise upper sublayer functions (e.g., RRC layer,SDAP layer, PDCP layer; or SDAP layer, PDCP layer, RLC layer, MAC layer,and/or partial PHY layer; etc.). The at least one base stationdistributed unit (e.g., the first base station distributed unit and/orthe second base station distributed unit) may comprise lower sublayerfunctions (e.g., RLC layer, MAC layer, PHY layer; or partial PHY layer;etc.).

In an example, the first base station (e.g., and/or the second basestation) may send at least one radio resource (RRC) configurationmessage. In an example, the wireless device may receive, from the firstbase station (e.g., and/or the second base station), the at least oneRRC configuration message. The at least one RRC configuration messagemay be based on the PDU session configuration request that the SMF sendsto the first base station. The at least one RRC configuration may bebased on at least one of: the PDU session configuration request, the atleast one secondary node configuration request message, the at least onesecondary node configuration request acknowledge message, and/or the PDUsession configuration request acknowledge. In an example, the at leastone RRC configuration message may be at least one of: RRCreconfiguration message, RRC reestablishment message, RRC resumemessage, RRC setup message, downlink information transfer message,and/or the like.

The at least one RRC configuration message may comprise configurationparameters of the at least one first bearer of the first session and/orthe at least one second bearer of the second session. The configurationparameters of the at least one first bearer and/or the at least onesecond bearer may indicate that the at least one second bearer is fortransmitting the duplication of the one of uplink or downlink packets ofthe at least one first bearer. The at least one RRC configurationmessage may indicate separate SDAP entities (e.g., a first SDAP entityfor the first session and a second SDAP entity for the second session)for the first session and the second session. The at least one RRCconfiguration message may indicate separate PDCP entities (e.g., a firstPDCP entity for the first session and/or the at least one first bearer;and a second PDCP entity for the second session and/or the at least onesecond bearer) for the first session (e.g., the at least one firstbearer) and the second session (e.g., the at least one second bearer).The configuration parameters of the at least one RRC configurationmessage may comprise SDAP configuration parameters (e.g., of the firstSDAP entity), PDCP configuration parameters (e.g., of the first PDCPentity), RLC configuration parameters, MAC configuration parameters,and/or PHY configuration parameters for the first session, at least onefirst QoS flow of the first session, and/or the at least one firstbearer. The configuration parameters of the at least one RRCconfiguration message may comprise SDAP configuration parameters (e.g.,of the second SDAP entity), PDCP configuration parameters (e.g., of thesecond PDCP entity), RLC configuration parameters, MAC configurationparameters, and/or PHY configuration parameters for the second session,at least one second QoS flow of the first session, and/or the at leastone second bearer.

In an example, the at least one RRC configuration message may compriseat least one of: at least one first bearer identifier of the at leastone first bearer; at least one second bearer identifier of the at leastone second bearer; at least one first QoS flow identifier of the atleast one first QoS flow; at least one second QoS flow identifier of theat least one second QoS flow; a first session identifier of the firstsession; a second session identifier of the second session; and/or thelike. In an example, the first session identifier may be identical tothe second session identifier. In an example, the at least one first QoSflow identifier may be identical to the at least one second QoS flowidentifier. In an example, the at least one first bearer identifier maybe identical to the at least one second bearer identifier.

In an example, the at least one RRC configuration message may comprisenon-access stratum (NAS) information (e.g., DedicatedNAS-Message). TheNAS information may indicate that the second session (e.g., the at leastone second QoS flow) is for transmitting the duplication of the one ofuplink or downlink packets of the first session (e.g., the at least onefirst QoS flow). The NAS information may comprise session configurationparameters of the first session and/or the second session. In anexample, The NAS information may indicate establishment and/ormodification of the first session and the second session. In an example,the NAS information may comprise at least one of: PDU Session ID (e.g.,identifiers of the first session and/or the second session), N1 SMcontainer (e.g., PDU Session Establishment Accept, PDU SessionModification Command/Acknowledgement, etc.), and/or the like.

In an example, the at least one RRC configuration message (e.g., theconfiguration parameters of the at least one first bearer and/or the atleast one second bearer; the NAS information; etc.) may comprise networkslice information of the first session (e.g., the at least one first QoSflow, the at least one first bearer) and/or the second session (e.g.,the at least one second QoS flow, the at least one second bearer). Thenetwork slice information of the first session and/or the second sessionmay comprise the first network slice information (e.g., uplink networkslice: first NSSAI, first S-NSSAI, etc.) of the first network slice foruplink packets of the first session; the second network sliceinformation (e.g., downlink network slice: second NSSAI, second S-NSSAI,etc.) of the second network slice for downlink packets of the firstsession; the third network slice information (e.g., third NSSAI, thirdS-NSSAI, etc.) of the third network slice of the first session; thefourth network slice information (e.g., first NSSAI, first S-NSSAI,etc.) of the first network slice for uplink packets of the secondsession (e.g., when duplicating uplink packets of the first session);the fifth network slice information (e.g., second NSSAI, second S-NSSAI,etc.) of the second network slice for downlink packets of the secondsession (e.g., when duplicating downlink packets of the first session);and/or the like. In an example, the first network slice information maybe same to the fourth network slice information. In an example, thesecond network slice information may be same to the fifth network sliceinformation.

In an example, the at least one RRC configuration message may indicatethat the at least one first bearer may be configured to use one or morefirst cells; and/or that the at least one second bearer may beconfigured to use one or more second cells. The at least one RRCconfiguration message may comprise cell configuration parameters of theone or more first cells and/or the one or more second cells. The cellconfiguration parameters may comprise at least one of: power controlparameters, activation/deactivation timer, PDCCH/PDSCH/PUCCH/PUSCHconfiguration parameters, control resource set configuration parameters,cell group configuration, cell identifier (e.g., PCI, CGI, GCI, etc.),cross carrier scheduling parameters, BWP configuration parameters,synchronization signal configuration, reference signal (e.g., CSI-RS,DM-RS, etc.) parameters, beam configuration parameters (e.g., beamfailure recovery, SSB, CSI-RS, etc.), CSI report configuration, SRSconfiguration, frequency information, bandwidth information, carrierinformation, and/or the like.

In an example, the first base station may comprise the one or more firstcells and the one or more second cells. In an example, the second basestation may comprise the one or more first cells (e.g., the at least onefirst secondary cell of the SCG) and the one or more second cells (e.g.,the at least one second secondary cell of the SCG). In an example, thefirst base station may be a master base station (e.g., MgNB, MeNB,M-node, etc.) of the wireless device and/or may provide a master cellgroup (MCG) of the wireless device; and/or the second base station maybe a secondary base station (e.g., SgNB, SeNB, S-node, etc.) of thewireless device and/or may provide a secondary cell group (SCG) of thewireless device. In an example, the MCG (e.g., the first base station)of the wireless device may comprise the one or more first cells that theat least one first bearer is configured to use; and/or the SCG (e.g.,the second base station) of the wireless device may comprise the one ormore second cells that the at least one second bearer is configured touse.

In an example, the at least one first bearer may be configured betweenthe first base station and the wireless device and the at least onesecond bearer may be configured between the second base station and thewireless device. In an example, the at least one first bearer may beconfigured between the second base station and the wireless device andthe at least one second bearer may be configured between the first basestation and the wireless device. In an example, the at least one firstbearer and the at least one second bearer may be configured between thefirst base station and the wireless device. In an example, the at leastone first bearer and the at least one second bearer may be configuredbetween the second base station and the wireless device.

In an example, the configuration parameters of the at least one RRCconfiguration message may comprise at least one of: first QoS parameters(e.g., first uplink QoS parameter and/or first downlink QoS parameters)for uplink and/or downlink of the at least one first bearer; and/orsecond QoS parameters (e.g., second uplink QoS parameter and/or seconddownlink QoS parameters) for uplink or downlink of the at least onesecond bearer. The first QoS parameters and/or the second QoS parametersmay be based on the first QoS information of the first session and/orthe second QoS information of the second session. The first base stationmay determine information elements of the at least one RRC configurationmessage and/or the configuration parameters of the at least one RRCconfiguration message based on the first QoS information of the firstsession and/or the second QoS information of the second session. Thefirst uplink QoS parameters may be the second uplink QoS parameters. Thefirst downlink QoS parameters may be the second downlink QoS parameters.

In an example, if downlink packets of the first session are for URLLCservices, the first base station may configure reliable downlinkresources (e.g., SPS resource, resources for transmission repetition,etc.) for the first session and/or the second session, smallTTI/numerology for downlink transmission of the first session and/or thesecond session, large size downlink resources for the first sessionand/or the second session, low MCS (modulation coding scheme level) fordownlink transmission of the first session and/or the second session,PDCP packet duplication of downlink packets of the at least one firstbearer of the first session and/or the at least one second bearer of thesecond session (e.g., not uplink PDCP packet duplication) (e.g., inaddition to the duplication of the downlink packets of the first sessionby configuring the second session), and/or the like.

In an example, if uplink packets of the first session are for URLLCservices, the first base station may configure reliable uplink resources(e.g., configured grant resources, resources for transmissionrepetition, etc.) for the first session and/or the second session, smallTTI/numerology for uplink transmission of the first session and/or thesecond session, large size uplink resources for the first session and/orthe second session, low MCS (modulation coding scheme level) for uplinktransmission of the first session and/or the second session, PDCP packetduplication of uplink packets of the at least one first bearer of thefirst session and/or the at least one second bearer of the secondsession (e.g., not uplink PDCP packet duplication) (e.g., in addition tothe duplication of the downlink packets of the first session byconfiguring the second session), and/or the like.

In an example, the NAS information of the at least one RRC configurationmessage may indicate the first QoS information of the first sessionand/or the second QoS information of the second session. The first QoSinformation may comprise QoS information of uplink packets of the firstsession and QoS information of downlink packets of the first session. Ifthe second session is for duplication of uplink packets of the firstsession (e.g., the QoS information of uplink packets of the firstsession is for URLLC service), the second QoS information may compriseQoS information of uplink packets of the second session (e.g., the QoSinformation of uplink packets of the second session may or may not sameto the QoS information of uplink packets of the first session). If thesecond session is for duplication of downlink packets of the firstsession (e.g., the QoS information of downlink packets of the firstsession is for URLLC service), the second QoS information may compriseQoS information of downlink packets of the second session (e.g., the QoSinformation of downlink packets of the second session may or may notsame to the QoS information of downlink packets of the first session).In an example, QoS information (e.g., the first QoS information, thesecond QoS information, the QoS information of uplink packets of thefirst session, the QoS information of downlink packets of the firstsession, the QoS information of uplink packets of the second session,the QoS information of downlink packets of the second session, QoSinformation of QoS flow of the first session and/or the second session,etc.) may comprise at least one of: QoS Class Identifier (QCI), 5G QoSIndicator (5QI: dynamic and/or non-dynamic), priority level, allocationand retention priority (ARP: priority level, pre-emption capability,pre-emption vulnerability, etc.), latency requirement (e.g., tolerablepacket transmission latency/delay), reliability requirement (e.g.,maximum error rate), session aggregate maximum bit rate (AMBR), sessiontype (e.g., PDU session type: IP, non-IP, ethernet, IPv4, IPv6, IPv4v6,unstructured, etc.), QoS flow identifier, QoS flow level QoS parameters,averaging window, maximum data burst volume, packet delay budget, packeterror rate, delay critical indication (e.g., critical or non-critical),maximum flow bit rate downlink, maximum flow bit rate uplink, guaranteedflow bit rate downlink, guaranteed flow bit rate uplink, notificationcontrol (e.g., indicating notification requested), maximum packet lossrate downlink, maximum packet loss rate uplink, and/or the like.

In an example, the wireless device may transmit, to the first basestation (e.g., and/or the second base station), at least one RRCconfiguration complete message indicating completion of configurationbased on the at least one RRC configuration message and/or theconfiguration parameters of the at least one RRC configuration message.The first base station (e.g., and/or the second base station) mayreceive, from the wireless device the at least one RRC configurationcomplete message. In an example, the at least one RRC configurationcomplete message may be at least one of: RRC reconfiguration completemessage, RRC reestablishment complete message, RRC resume completemessage, RRC setup complete message, uplink information transfermessage, and/or the like.

In an example, the wireless device may communicate/transmit/receive,with/to/from the first base station and/or the second base station viathe at least one first bearer of the first session, the uplink packetsand the downlink packets of the at least one first bearer and/or thefirst session (e.g., based on the first QoS parameters of the at leastone first bearer and/or the first QoS information of the first session).In an example, the wireless device may communicate/transmit/receive,with/to/from the first base station and/or the second base station viathe at least one second bearer of the second session, the duplication ofthe one of uplink or downlink packets (e.g., uplink packets and notdownlink packets; or downlink packets and not uplink packets) of the atleast one first bearer (e.g., based on the second QoS parameters of theat least one first bearer and/or the second QoS information of the firstsession).

In an example, based on the NAS information and/or the at least one RRCconfiguration message, the wireless device may perform one of:transmitting the duplication of the uplink packets of the first sessionvia the at least one second bearer of the second session (e.g., if thesecond session is for duplication of uplink packets of the firstsession); or receiving the duplication of the downlink packets of thefirst session via the at least one second bearer of the second session(e.g., if the second session is for duplication of downlink packets ofthe first session). The transmitting, by the wireless device, theduplication of the uplink packets of the first session via the at leastone second bearer may comprise transmitting the duplication of theuplink packets of the first session based on the second uplink QoSparameters (e.g., that may be same to the first uplink QoS parameters ofthe at least one first bearer) of the at least one second bearer and/orthe second QoS information (e.g., QoS information for uplink packets) ofthe second session. The receiving, by the wireless device, theduplication of the downlink packets of the first session via the atleast one second bearer may comprise receiving the duplication of thedownlink packets of the first session based on the second QoS parameters(e.g., that may be same to the first downlink QoS parameters of the atleast one first bearer) of the at least one second bearer and/or thesecond QoS information (e.g., QoS information for downlink packets) ofthe second session.

In an example, the uplink packets of the at least one first bearerand/or the first session may be associated with the first network slice.The downlink packets of the at least one first bearer and/or the firstsession may be associated with the second network slice. A third networkslice may comprise the first network slice and the second network slice.The first session may be for the third network slice. If the secondsession is for transmitting duplication of uplink packets of the firstsession, a network slice of the second session (e.g., uplink packets ofthe second session) may be the first network slice. If the secondsession is for transmitting duplication of downlink packets of the firstsession, a network slice of the second session (e.g., downlink packetsof the second session) may be the second network slice.

In an example, the wireless device may receive, from the first basestation, an activation indication of the duplication. The transmitting,by the wireless device, the duplication of the uplink packets of thefirst session via the at least one second bearer may be in response toreceiving the activation indication. In an example, the configurationparameters or the non-access stratum information of the at least one RRCconfiguration message may comprise the activation indication. In anexample, the receiving, by the wireless device, the activationindication may comprise receiving the activation indication via at leastone of: an RRC reconfiguration message; a NAS message; one or more userplane packets; a medium access control control element (MAC CE); adownlink control information (DCI) via a physical downlink controlchannel (PDCCH); and/or the like.

In an example, the wireless device may receive, from the first basestation, a deactivation indication of the duplication. The wirelessdevice may stop transmitting the duplication of the uplink packets inresponse to receiving the deactivation indication. In an example, thereceiving, by the wireless device, the deactivation indication maycomprise receiving the deactivation indication via at least one of: anRRC reconfiguration message; a NAS message; one or more user planepackets; a MAC CE; a DCI via a PDCCH; and/or the like.

In an example, the UPF may communicate, with the wireless device, theuplink packets and the downlink packets via the first session. The UPFmay receive the uplink packets via the first session. The UPF may sendthe downlink packets via the first session. Based on the sessionconfiguration request from the SMF, the UPF may receive the duplicationof the uplink packets of the first session via the second session orsend the duplication of the downlink packets of the first session viathe second session. In an example, the UPF may discard one of the uplinkpackets of the first session or the duplication of the uplink packets ofthe first session. The UPF may generate the duplication of the downlinkpackets of the first session.

In an example, a wireless device may receive, from a first base station,at least one RRC configuration message. The at least one RRCconfiguration message may comprise at least one of: configurationparameters of at least one first bearer of a first session and at leastone second bearer of a second session; and/or NAS information. The NASinformation may indicate that the second session is for transmitting aduplication of uplink packets of the first session. The wireless devicemay communicate the uplink packets and downlink packets of the firstsession via the at least one first bearer of the first session. Based onthe NAS information, the wireless device may transmit the duplication ofthe uplink packets of the first session via the at least one secondbearer of the second session and may not receive duplication of thedownlink packets of the first session via the at least one second bearerof the second session.

In an example, a wireless device may receive, from a first base station,at least one RRC configuration message. The at least one RRCconfiguration message may comprise at least one of: configurationparameters of at least one first bearer of a first session and at leastone second bearer of a second session; and/or NAS information. The NASinformation may indicate that the second session is for transmitting aduplication of downlink packets of the first session. The wirelessdevice may communicate the downlink packets and uplink packets of thefirst session via the at least one first bearer of the first session.Based on the NAS information, the wireless device may receive theduplication of the downlink packets of the first session via the atleast one second bearer of the second session and may not transmitduplication of the uplink packets of the first session via the at leastone second bearer of the second session.

In an example, as shown in FIG. 26 , a wireless device may receive, froma first base station, at least one radio resource control (RRC)configuration message. The at least one RRC configuration message maycomprise configuration parameters of at least one first bearer of afirst session and/or at least one second bearer of a second session. Theat least one RRC configuration message may comprise non-access stratum(NAS) information. The NAS information may indicate that the secondsession is for transmitting a duplication of one of uplink or downlinkpackets of the first session. The wireless device may communicate theuplink packets and the downlink packets via the at least one firstbearer of the first session. Based on the NAS information, the wirelessdevice may perform one of: transmitting the duplication of the uplinkpackets of the first session via the at least one second bearer of thesecond session; or receiving the duplication of the downlink packets ofthe first session via the at least one second bearer of the secondsession.

In an example, the at least one first bearer may be configured to useone or more first cells. The at least one second bearer may beconfigured to use one or more second cells. The first base station maycomprise the one or more first cells and the one or more second cells.In an example, a master cell group (MCG) of the wireless device maycomprise the one or more first cells. A secondary cell group (SCG) ofthe wireless device may comprise the one or more second cells. In anexample, at least one first bearer identifier of the at least one firstbearer may be identical to at least one second bearer identifier of theat least one second bearer. In an example, the at least one first bearermay be configured between the first base station and the wirelessdevice. The at least one second bearer may be configured between thesecond base station and the wireless device. The first base station maybe a master base station of the wireless device. The second base stationmay be a secondary base station of the wireless device.

In an example, the first session may be configured between the wirelessdevice and a user plan function (UPF) via the first base station. Thesecond session may be configured between the wireless device and theuser plan function via the second base station.

In an example, the wireless device may transmit, to the first basestation, at least one RRC configuration complete message indicatingcompletion of configuration based on the at least one RRC configurationmessage.

In an example, the uplink packets of the at least one first bearer maybe associated with a first network slice. The downlink packets of the atleast one first bearer may be associated with a second network slice. Athird network slice may comprise the first network slice and the secondnetwork slice. The first session may be for the third network slice.

In an example, the configuration parameters of the at least one RRCconfiguration message may comprise at least one of: firstquality-of-service (QoS) parameters for uplink of the at least one firstbearer and/or second QoS parameters for downlink of the at least onefirst bearer. The communicating, by the wireless device, the uplinkpackets and the downlink packets via the at least one first bearer maycomprise at least one of: transmitting the uplink packets based on thefirst QoS parameters; and/or receiving the downlink packets based on thesecond QoS parameters. In an example, the transmitting, by the wirelessdevice, the duplication of the uplink packets of the first session viathe at least one second bearer may comprise transmitting the duplicationof the uplink packets based on the first QoS parameters. The receiving,by the wireless device, the duplication of the downlink packets of thefirst session via the at least one second bearer may comprise receivingthe duplication of the downlink packets based on the second QoSparameters. The configuration parameters of the at least one RRCconfiguration message may comprise at least one of: third QoS parametersfor uplink of the at least one second bearer; or fourth QoS parametersfor downlink of the at least one second bearer. The first QoS parametersmay be the third QoS parameters. The second QoS parameters may be thefourth QoS parameters.

In an example, the second session may be for transmitting theduplication of the uplink packets of the first session and not fortransmitting the duplication of the downlink packets of the firstsession. In an example, the second session may be for transmitting theduplication of the downlink packets of the first session and not fortransmitting the duplication of the uplink packets of the first session.In an example, the second session may be one of: an uplink only session;or a downlink only session. The first session may be for at least oneasymmetric service.

In an example, the wireless device may receive, from the first basestation, an activation indication of the duplication. The transmitting,by the wireless device, the duplication of the uplink packets of thefirst session via the at least one second bearer may be in response toreceiving the activation indication. In an example, the configurationparameters or the non-access stratum information of the at least one RRCconfiguration message may comprise the activation indication. In anexample, the receiving, by the wireless device, the activationindication may comprise receiving the activation indication via at leastone of: an RRC reconfiguration message; a NAS message; one or more userplane packets; a medium access control control element (MAC CE); adownlink control information (DCI) via a physical downlink controlchannel (PDCCH); and/or the like.

In an example, the wireless device may receive, from the first basestation, a deactivation indication of the duplication. The wirelessdevice may stop transmitting the duplication of the uplink packets inresponse to receiving the deactivation indication. In an example, thereceiving, by the wireless device, the deactivation indication maycomprise receiving the deactivation indication via at least one of: anRRC reconfiguration message; a NAS message; one or more user planepackets; a MAC CE; a DCI via a PDCCH; and/or the like.

In an example, the first base station may receive, from a sessionmanagement function (SMF) via an access and mobility management function(AMF), a packet data unit (PDU) session configuration request. The PDUsession configuration request may indicate that the second session isfor transmitting the duplication of one of uplink or downlink packets ofthe first session. The at least one RRC configuration message may bebased on the PDU session configuration request. The first base stationmay send, to the SMF, a PDU session configuration request acknowledge inresponse to receiving the PDU session configuration request. The PDUsession configuration request acknowledge may comprise at least one of:a first downlink tunnel endpoint identifier (TEID) for the firstsession; and/or a second downlink tunnel endpoint identifier (TEID) forthe second session.

In an example, the first base station may send, to the second basestation, at least one secondary node configuration request messagecomprising session configuration parameters of the second session andbearer configuration parameters of the at least one second bearer. Thefirst base station may receive, from the second base station, at leastone secondary node configuration request acknowledge message indicatingconfiguration based on the at least one secondary node configurationrequest message. The at least one secondary node configuration requestacknowledge message may comprise a second downlink tunnel endpointidentifier (TEID) for the second session.

In an example, the SMF may receive, from a first network function, QoSrequirement information of a service associated with the first session.The QoS requirement information of the service may indicate that the oneof the uplink or downlink packets of the first session need at least oneof: an ultra-reliable transmission; and/or a low-latency transmission.The SMF may determine, based on the QoS requirement information, theduplication of one of uplink or downlink packets of the first session.In an example, the first network function may comprise at least one of:an application function; a network repository function (NRF); a policycontrol function (PCF); an operation and management (OAM) function;and/or the like.

In an example, the SMF may send, to the UPF, a session configurationrequest indicating that the second session is for transmitting theduplication of one of uplink or downlink packets of the first session.The SMF may receive, from the UPF, a session configuration requestacknowledge indicating configuration of the first session and the secondsession. The session configuration request acknowledge may comprise atleast one of: a first uplink tunnel endpoint identifier (UL TEID) forthe first session; and/or a second uplink tunnel endpoint identifier (ULTEID) for the second session.

In an example, the UPF may receive the uplink packets via the firstsession. The UPF may send the downlink packets via the first session.Based on the session configuration request, the UPF may receive theduplication of the uplink packets of the first session via the secondsession or send the duplication of the downlink packets of the firstsession via the second session. In an example, the UPF may discard oneof the uplink packets or the duplication of the uplink packets of thefirst session. The UPF may generate the duplication of the downlinkpackets of the first session.

In an example, the first base station may receive the NAS informationfrom the SMF via the AMF. In an example, the SMF may receive, from thewireless device, session establishment request for the first session.The session establishment request may indicate that the one of theuplink or downlink packets of the first session need at least one of: anultra-reliable transmission; and/or a low latency transmission. The SMFmay determine, based on the session establishment request, theduplication of one of uplink or downlink packets of the first session.

In an example, a wireless device may receive, from a first base station,at least one RRC configuration message. The at least one RRCconfiguration message may comprise at least one of: configurationparameters of at least one first bearer of a first session and at leastone second bearer of a second session; and/or NAS information. The NASinformation may indicate that the second session is for transmitting aduplication of uplink packets of the first session. The wireless devicemay communicate the uplink packets and downlink packets of the firstsession via the at least one first bearer of the first session. Based onthe NAS information, the wireless device may transmit the duplication ofthe uplink packets of the first session via the at least one secondbearer of the second session and may not receive duplication of thedownlink packets of the first session via the at least one second bearerof the second session.

In an example, a wireless device may receive, from a first base station,at least one RRC configuration message. The at least one RRCconfiguration message may comprise at least one of: configurationparameters of at least one first bearer of a first session and at leastone second bearer of a second session; and/or NAS information. The NASinformation may indicate that the second session is for transmitting aduplication of downlink packets of the first session. The wirelessdevice may communicate the downlink packets and uplink packets of thefirst session via the at least one first bearer of the first session.Based on the NAS information, the wireless device may receive theduplication of the downlink packets of the first session via the atleast one second bearer of the second session and may not transmitduplication of the uplink packets of the first session via the at leastone second bearer of the second session.

In an example, as shown in FIG. 27 , a first base station may receive,from an SMF via an AMF, a PDU session configuration request forconfiguration of a first session and a second session of a wirelessdevice. The PDU session configuration request may indicate that thesecond session is for transmitting a duplication of one of uplink ordownlink packets of the first session. The first base station may send,to the wireless device, at least one RRC configuration message. The atleast one RRC configuration message may comprise at least one of:configuration parameters of at least one first bearer of the firstsession and at least one second bearer of the second session; and/or NASinformation. The NAS information may indicate that the second session isfor transmitting the duplication of the one of the uplink or downlinkpackets of the first session. The first base station may communicate theuplink packets and the downlink packets via the at least one firstbearer of the first session. Based on the NAS information, the firstbase station may perform one of: receiving the duplication of the uplinkpackets of the first session via the at least one second bearer of thesecond session; or sending the duplication of the downlink packets ofthe first session via the at least one second bearer of the secondsession.

In an example, as shown in FIG. 28 , an SMF may receive, from a firstnetwork function, QoS requirement information of a service. The servicemay be associated with a first session of a wireless device. The QoSrequirement information may indicate that one of uplink or downlinkpackets of the first session need at least one of: an ultra-reliabletransmission and/or a low-latency transmission. The SMF may determine,based on the QoS requirement information, a duplication of the one ofthe uplink or downlink packets of the first session. The SMF may send,to a first base station via an AMF function, a PDU session configurationrequest for configuration of the first session and a second session ofthe wireless device. The PDU session configuration request may indicatethat the second session is for transmitting the duplication of the oneof the uplink or downlink packets of the first session.

In an example, as shown in FIG. 29 , a UPF may receive, from an SMF, asession configuration request for configuration of a first session and asecond session of a wireless device. The session configuration requestmay indicate that the second session is for transmitting a duplicationof one of uplink or downlink packets of the first session. The UPF maycommunicate, with the wireless device, the uplink packets and thedownlink packets via the first session. Based on the sessionconfiguration request, the UPF may perform one of: receiving, from thewireless device, the duplication of the uplink packets of the firstsession via the second session; or sending, to the wireless device, theduplication of the downlink packets of the first session via the secondsession. The UPF may send, to the SMF, a session configuration requestacknowledge indicating configuration of the first session and the secondsession. The session configuration request acknowledge may comprise atleast one of: a first uplink tunnel endpoint identifier (UL TEID) forthe first session; and/or a second uplink tunnel endpoint identifier (ULTEID) for the second session.

According to various embodiments, a device such as, for example, awireless device, off-network wireless device, a base station, and/or thelike, may comprise one or more processors and memory. The memory maystore instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors,cause the device to perform a series of actions. Embodiments of exampleactions are illustrated in the accompanying figures and specification.Features from various embodiments may be combined to create yet furtherembodiments.

FIG. 30 is a diagram of an aspect of an example embodiment of thepresent disclosure. At 3010, a wireless device may receive, from a firstbase station, at least one radio resource control configuration message.The at least one radio resource control configuration message maycomprise configuration parameters. The at least one radio resourcecontrol configuration message may comprise non-access stratuminformation. The configuration parameters may be for at least one firstbearer of a first session. The configuration parameters may be for atleast one second bearer of a second session. The non-access stratuminformation may indicate that the second session is for applying sessionduplication of downlink packets of the first session. The non-accessstratum information may indicate that the second session is for notapplying session duplication of uplink packets of the first session. At3020, the wireless device may communicate the uplink packets and thedownlink packets via the at least one first bearer of the first session.At 3030, based on the non-access stratum information, the wirelessdevice may not apply the session duplication for transmission of packetsvia the at least one second bearer of the second session. Based on thenon-access stratum information, the wireless device may receive, via theat least one second bearer of the second session, duplication of thedownlink packets of the first session with the session duplication.

According to an example embodiment, the at least one first bearer may beconfigured to use one or more first cells. According to an exampleembodiment, at least one second bearer may be configured to use one ormore second cells. According to an example embodiment, the at least onefirst bearer may be configured between the first base station and thewireless device. According to an example embodiment, at least one secondbearer may be configured between a second base station and the wirelessdevice.

According to an example embodiment, the first session may be configuredbetween the wireless device and a user plan function via the first basestation. According to an example embodiment, the second session may beconfigured between the wireless device and the user plan function viathe second base station. According to an example embodiment, uplinkpackets of the at least one first bearer may be for a first networkslice. According to an example embodiment, downlink packets of the atleast one first bearer may be for a second network slice. According toan example embodiment, a third network slice may comprise the firstnetwork slice and/or the second network slice.

According to an example embodiment, the configuration parameters maycomprise first quality-of-service parameters for uplink of the at leastone first bearer. According to an example embodiment, the configurationparameters may comprise second quality-of-service parameters fordownlink of the at least one first bearer. According to an exampleembodiment, the communicating of the uplink packets and the downlinkpackets may comprise transmitting the uplink packets based on the firstquality-of-service parameters. According to an example embodiment, thecommunicating of the uplink packets and the downlink packets maycomprise receiving the downlink packets based on the secondquality-of-service parameters.

According to an example embodiment, the wireless device may receive,from the first base station, an activation indication of theduplication. According to an example embodiment, the receiving of theduplication of the downlink packets may be in response to receiving theactivation indication. According to an example embodiment, the wirelessdevice may receive, from the first base station, a deactivationindication of the duplication. According to an example embodiment, thewireless device may stop, in response to receiving the deactivationindication, the receiving of the duplication of the downlink packets.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method comprising: receiving, by a wirelessdevice from a first base station, non-access stratum informationindicating: that a second session is for applying session duplication ofdownlink packets of a first session, and not applying sessionduplication of uplink packets of the first session; communicating, bythe wireless device, the uplink packets and the downlink packets of thefirst session; and based on the non-access stratum information: notapplying, by the wireless device, the session duplication of uplinkpackets of the first session; and receiving, by the wireless device,duplication of the downlink packets of the first session with thesession duplication.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein: at least onefirst bearer associated with the first session is configured to use oneor more first cells; and at least one second bearer associated with thesecond session is configured to use one or more second cells.
 3. Themethod of claim 1, wherein: at least one first bearer associated withthe first session is configured between: the first base station; and thewireless device; and at least one second bearer associated with thesecond session is configured between: a second base station; and thewireless device.
 4. The method of claim 3, wherein: the first session isconfigured between the wireless device and a user plan function via thefirst base station; and the second session is configured between thewireless device and the user plan function via the second base station.5. The method of claim 1, wherein: the uplink packets of at least onefirst bearer are for a first network slice; and the downlink packets ofat least one first bearer are for a second network slice.
 6. The methodof claim 5, wherein a third network slice comprises: the first networkslice; and the second network slice.
 7. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising receiving at least one radio resource control configurationmessage comprising configuration parameters comprising at least one of:first quality-of-service parameters for uplink of at least one firstbearer; or second quality-of-service parameters for downlink of the atleast one first bearer.
 8. The method of claim 7, wherein thecommunicating the uplink packets and the downlink packets comprises atleast one of: transmitting the uplink packets based on the firstquality-of-service parameters; and receiving the downlink packets basedon the second quality-of-service parameters.
 9. The method of claim 1,further comprising receiving, by the wireless device from the first basestation, an activation indication of the duplication, wherein thereceiving of the duplication of the downlink packets is in response toreceiving the activation indication.
 10. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising: receiving, by the wireless device from the first basestation, a deactivation indication of the duplication; and stopping, inresponse to receiving the deactivation indication, the receiving of theduplication of the downlink packets.
 11. A wireless device comprising:one or more processors; and memory storing instructions that, whenexecuted by the one or more processors, cause the wireless device to:receive, from a first base station, non-access stratum informationindicating: that a second session is for applying session duplication ofdownlink packets of a first session, and not applying sessionduplication of uplink packets of the first session; communicate theuplink packets and the downlink packets of the first session; and basedon the non-access stratum information: not apply the session duplicationof uplink packets of the first session; and receive, duplication of thedownlink packets of the first session with the session duplication. 12.The wireless device of claim 11, wherein: at least one first bearer isconfigured to use one or more first cells; and at least one secondbearer is configured to use one or more second cells.
 13. The wirelessdevice of claim 11, wherein: at least one first bearer is configuredbetween: the first base station; and the wireless device; and at leastone second bearer is configured between: a second base station; and thewireless device.
 14. The wireless device of claim 13, wherein: the firstsession is configured between the wireless device and a user planfunction via the first base station; and the second session isconfigured between the wireless device and the user plan function viathe second base station.
 15. The wireless device of claim 11, wherein:the uplink packets of at least one first bearer are for a first networkslice; and the downlink packets of the at least one first bearer are fora second network slice.
 16. The wireless device of claim 15, wherein athird network slice comprises: the first network slice; and the secondnetwork slice.
 17. The wireless device of claim 11, further comprisingreceiving at least one radio resource control configuration messagecomprising configuration parameters comprising at least one of: firstquality-of-service parameters for uplink of at least one first bearer;or second quality-of-service parameters for downlink of the at least onefirst bearer.
 18. The wireless device of claim 17, wherein thecommunicating the uplink packets and the downlink packets comprises atleast one of: transmitting the uplink packets based on the firstquality-of-service parameters; and receiving the downlink packets basedon the second quality-of-service parameters.
 19. The wireless device ofclaim 11, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or moreprocessors, further cause the wireless device to receive, from the firstbase station, an activation indication of the duplication, wherein thereceiving of the duplication of the downlink packets is in response toreceiving the activation indication.
 20. A system comprising: a wirelessdevice comprising: one or more first processors; and a first memorystoring first instructions that, when executed by the one or more firstprocessors of the wireless device, cause the wireless device to:receive, from a first base station, non-access stratum informationindicating: that a second session is for applying session duplication ofdownlink packets of a first session, and not applying sessionduplication of uplink packets of the first session; communicate theuplink packets and the downlink packets of the first session; and basedon the non-access stratum information: not apply the session duplicationof uplink packets of the first session; and receive, duplication of thedownlink packets of the first session with the session duplication; andthe first base station comprising: one or more second processors; andsecond memory storing second instructions that, when executed by the oneor more second processors of the first base station, cause the firstbase station to: transmit the non-access stratum information; andtransmit, the duplication of the downlink packets of the first sessionwith the session duplication.